"Shame on you!"

Caesarea - Julian Castle - large playground in the backyard.

The knights of the Imperial Guard stood in four rows, with their heads bowed and their faces shy, not daring to say a word.

Valence took the training stick, his hair furious, his falcon-like eyes surveyed the knights' bodies back and forth, the corners of his mouth pursed tightly, he paced, and the iron boots kept knocking on the ground, like a death knell, and the knights' hearts were pounding back and forth.

"Knock-knock-knock-"

"Just one victory makes you proud?!Think you're powerful?!" Valence popped out word by word, and his heavy voice kept roaring: "Now let's see, what is the result of pride?!!"

"It's a shame!"

"Don't forget who you are! You are Caesar's guard! What a mission!! even a weak girl can escape from you, what do you use to protect Caesar?!"

"Your Excellency!"

Elendil raised her head, stood out of the queue, and gave a military salute to Valens: "That's not an ordinary girl, it's a Noldor Ranger, the most haode hunter of the elves!"

"Stand back in your queue, Knight of Elendil! I don't agree with you!" Valence picked up his training stick and slammed it on Elendil's chest, making a muffled sound, "Don't think that the Roman military order has any privileges!"

"Yes!" Elendil didn't retort, but lowered his head and took a step back.

Valence looked around at his subordinates with his hands behind his back and his eyes fiercely, and his white teeth popped out one after another: "Even if it is really as Elendil said, this is also a shame, the reality that the Imperial Guard was defeated by other peoples!"

"You are the royal guards, the proudest knights of Rome! You have the most haode treatment, good status, top-class equipment, and glorious duty! If you are defeated, the Romans are defeated!"

"What do you make other peoples think of us!-ah-?!" Valence roared, "Do you want them to say: You will be invincible only when your Caesar leads you?!"

"You've been at ease for too long—as the best knights in Rome, you'll need to train harder and make yourself stronger to keep up with your duties!"

"From tomorrow onwards, intensify training - all must participate! Patrols and guards are carried out in batches!" Valence was leaning up, chin high and looking down at them, "Do you have any questions?"

..................

No one opened their mouths, and everyone pressed their heads hard, staring at their toes, not saying a word, so that people could not see their expressions clearly.

"Very well, it seems that you all understand. Valens nodded: "Then I think that the trained zuihou only eats bread, and there should be no doubt, right?!"

"Accomplish your mission, stick to your beliefs, and do your best - this is not weishenme, because you are the Imperial Guard!" Valence said with a cold look: "It's still the same, Roman military orders have no privileges, and no matter what status or family they come from, they must absolutely abide by it!"

After saying that, he walked up to Elendil and knocked on the armor on his body with a training stick, and his eyes narrowed into a slit.

"I'm looking forward to your performance, and I hope it doesn't disappoint you too much!"

"Your expectations will be met, my lord!" Elendil raised his head, "In the name of a knight!"

"I hope so!" said Valence, cloaking for a moment, and striding out of the playground.

――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――

But no matter what, Caesarea in late May is destined to be lively.

The knights of the Imperial Guard, who had only served to guard the castle, began to appear in the wilderness outside the city, training in fighting and horsemanship, and became a sight to behold, albeit completely unexpected.

People who are keen on all kinds of gossip have made their own comments on this matter, and the conversation is in full swing, passing in the tavern where fish and dragons are mixed.

Some people say that Caesar was not satisfied with the performance of the knights of the Imperial Guard during the Battle of Severcro, and thought that the knights of Salion had stolen too much limelight, so the knights needed more practice to regain the limelight in a future battle; some people thought that Caesar was planning to expand his army because of the expansion of his territory, and Rome, which had three places, needed more troops to ensure his position; and some said that Lord Valens, who had always clamored for pure-bloods, thought that pure-bloods were pure-bloods after seeing the performance of other Roman armies." The status is not guaranteed", and more backbone liliang is needed to stand up............

In this ordinary day when there is no circus, no celebration and no big event, the Romans, who are prone to impulsively like new things, will always look for differences in life by themselves, so that every day is not so monotonous.

Therefore, they were very keen on gossip, especially the gossip of the big people, which made them feel spiritually satisfied, and the bards who wandered between towns and cities made up absurd but fascinating "gossip stories" one after another.

For example, the story of Cinderella, which is said to have first circulated in those large and small taverns and inns, did not seem to be so pure and loving............

However, rumors that are too bizarre can also cause a certain degree of confusion, so it didn't take long for the government council (that is, the downsized senate, which is generally composed of state officials in charge of government affairs) to clarify: because of the many management problems caused by the expansion of the territory, and there are many hidden dangers of banditry in many areas, a part of the army will be expanded in the near future, and training will be strengthened to ensure the safety of the farms in the towns and towns of Rome.

And the Minister of War, Mesimus, also reacted quickly, not only did the local Roman army begin to move, defending the original territory that was already three times the original territory, but also changing the original army in the new territory, training according to the Roman legion's combat style, and at the same time recruiting some new soldiers in the local area to fill the missing places.

Belisarius, the commander of the cavalry wing, was transferred to inspect the territory of Rome, and the first squadron commander was appointed as the new cavalry captain, and a new heavy cavalry squadron was expanded, that is, a small number of knights who had sworn allegiance to Theodore, and a large number of knightly servants.

These armies, who were not Romans, but now used Roman tactics, were gradually accepted by the original Romans, and even Theodore began to feel that this shijie had begun to assimilate the Romans.

While the Romans exported their civilization through commerce, the local culture also influenced themselves. The knights who joined the Roman army also brought with them the original unique burqa, a simple and adaptable garment that influenced many young people in military families, and even Quintus mentioned this garment, believing that this burqa not only provided some protection, but also made it easier to identify their own army, and it was also a kind of maintenance for armor - after all, iron armor can also corrode when exposed to air, especially if it rains.

The Romans, who were inherently interested in the outside world and were willing to accept it, had no trouble accepting this Shijie civilization. Maybe that's why this shijie chose to come here with Rome?

Theodore didn't know, but it was a good thing - the Romans were still too few, and the demographic weakness doomed them to be too closed and stubborn in cultural exchange. If you can't be accepted by this shijie, even if you can really build a powerful empire, it's just a fortress on the beach, and it will easily fall to pieces.

With a nation of 30,000 people and millions of people, the end can be imagined. The examples of the Yuan and Qing dynasties are on display, and Theodore did not want the Romans in the future to do nothing but walk dogs and play birds.

In the hall of the castle, Herodotus was reporting to Theodor what had been happening for the rest of this time.

"The Archduke of Ultok has offered us a friendly fellowship to build a road between Mistermai, Caesarea, and Salion, to facilitate the passage of merchant, and to strengthen the ties between the three places, and has sent to approve the width of the road in Rome, and has likewise sent an envoy to the castle of the Archduke of Brenus. Herodotus smiled and bowed his head to Theodore: "The willingness of the allies to offer such sincere terms is a symbol of the strength of Rome!"

"It's also because we have to come together. Theodore said with a smile.

"High Priest Flavi was very keen to recruit new followers to the surrounding territories and strengthen the faith of the Roman gods, but it didn't seem to be going very well. Herodotus, as if a little childish and mischievous, expressed his joy at the old man's defeat: "Although there are many lords who are willing to invite Rome to preach now, they seem to have a preference for the god of war Mars, and thanks to the outstanding performance of the priest of Kaisso in Severcro, His Excellency Salald of Salion even sent his own messenger, hoping that the priest of Kaisso will go to Salyon to spread the teachings and power of the god of war!"

"I think he's probably more interested in two-handed swordsmanship, right?" Theodore thought about it for a while, and thought that it should be eight or nine or ten: "Kaisso once preached once when he was in Severcro, and I didn't see this guy so enthusiastic at that time!"

"So, how are you going to reply?"

"Promise him! But you can make a condition. Theodore waved his hand: "Such a request is not too much, not to mention that we have just established an alliance now, so we should be tightly encircled!"

"It's up to you to deal with this kind of thing later, Herodotus. Theodore said, "Unless it's particularly important, don't always make a trip, it's too much trouble!"

"But...... You are Caesar, and we are your courtiers. The middle-aged man's gray hair fell out one after another, and he wrinkled his face helplessly: "And now you are still very young, you should exercise more, not only war can show your talents, strong and powerful rule is also one of the ways to make the people feel majestic!"

"I'm more inclined to let the right people do the right things!" The energetic smile revealed the residual youthfulness and immaturity, but it made people feel extremely trusted, so that those who are over half a hundred years old in politics experienced a trace of cordiality, and the softness of their hearts was also touched a little.

"There's one more thing I'd love to ask. Herodotus decided to divert the subject: "In the last meeting, the Minister of War Mesimus, and the chief instructor Quintus were not present, is this your wish?"

"Ah, of course, I told them not to go. Theodore replied calmly: "They are in charge of military affairs, and they have nothing to do with politics or anything, a soldier should be like a soldier, a politician, he should be like a politician!"

"They, as long as they are accountable to me, aren't they?"

"............" Herodotus did not speak, looked at the young Caesar in front of him expressionlessly, and bent down humbly:

"Of course, your will is the resolution. Caesar!"

(Lalala, maybe many readers have discovered that there doesn't seem to be any battle scenes in this chapter~.)

This is related to the theme of this chapter -- the clouds rise in all directions, and my intention in using the title of this volume is to explain its content, before the great war, the prelude between all shili, camps, and races, and also a period of peace and tranquility before the great war, I will introduce their (or them) situation in detail in this volume, and lay the groundwork for the rest of the story.

Of course, there will be a lot of things in this volume that I want to say, but I can't talk about them explicitly, sometimes, the reality is not as beautiful as we think, and many things that should be taken for granted are so precious. ）