Deep underground, countless stone pillars support it, creating a huge space with a unique cave.

In the bottomless cavern, there are many naturally formed stone platforms, large and small, as far as the eye can see.

Between the platforms, there are bridges carefully laid with marble, and on the platforms, countless high-rise buildings are lined up.

On both sides of the divided street, at intervals, there are street lamps, which make the entire cave emit a faint blue light, and with the dim situation of the cave itself, it seems to create a "city that never sleeps".

Dark City!

After following the queen across the long and wide bridge, we came to the largest platform, which was full of dark elves, children frolicking, and guards with weapons in hand.

A long-haired dark elf girl in a high-necked jacket ran towards us, half-kneeling and said to the Queen, "Your Majesty, you're back!"

"Alicia, you don't have to worry about me. Queen Meia waved her hand, "When the Senate heard the news that the adventurer had broken through the lava cave, they tried every possible means to let me hide in the palace, but thanks to your help, I was able to arrive in time to resolve the crisis." ”

"Her Majesty has won the award, this is my duty as the captain of your bodyguard!"

"Get up and go back to the palace with me. ”

Alicia got up and walked behind us, seemingly watching our every move.

We crossed the square and came to a new bridge, and on the opposite side of the bridge, a tall and extravagant castle.

The queen suddenly stopped, turned back and said, "There is the palace ahead." There are a few things that must be said before going in. ”

I, Danio, and Lifa looked at each other, not knowing what important things the Queen had to tell us here, not in the palace.

"If I had been a step too late, Elder Sharpen would have killed you and immediately gone to Afaria to fight the Duchy. In fact, the reason why our army has not been at war with the Duchy is because of the infectious disease that has struck Neupella, and the necromantic golems of the lava caverns have been resurrected, hindering the movement of the large army. ”

"So, that elder knew that we had come to the Dark City from the direction of the Lava Cave, and judged that the three giants of the Lava Cave had been eliminated by us, so he led his troops to attack us?" Danio said thoughtfully.

"That's right. I tell you this to make you believe me, I do not want a real war with the Duchy, and I declare war on the Duchy under duress from the Senate. ”

I was puzzled: "You are the queen, who can coerce you?"

"The tragedy of Nojpera has caused many Dark Elf people to lose their relatives and friends, and the senators will hold me hostage to force me to declare war on the principality, and if I don't do it, it may cause a popular uprising, and once the power falls into the hands of the main war faction, I will no longer have a chance to stop the war between the two countries. ”

"We get it. ”

"These words must not be mentioned anywhere else, whether it is the royal palace or the council square outside, there are the eyes and ears of the senate. ”

After all, the queen led us into the palace, which was not as grand as we had imagined, except for the more "magical" style, and it was similar to the town hall of Huttonmar - of course, referring to the hall, and what other places were not for us to see.

Upon entering, we see that Elder Sharpland is already standing by the throne, and the queen has also sat on it, and has taken a golden scepter from the throne, which is much more ornate than the elder's scepter, which looks like an axe.

And we automatically stand at the bottom of the throne steps to meet the Queen.

"You have come from afar, is there any news from the Queen of the Duchy?"

I put my hand in my pocket, and realized that the letter had already been burned by the elder, so I glared at the elder secretly and did not speak.

However, Danio reacted quickly, and he stepped forward and said, "Queen Skadi hopes that the two sides can cease fighting, and I believe that Her Majesty Queen Meia has read the letter." ”

"Yes, it was sent by Krent. ”

Elder Sharpen had a look of surprise on his face for a moment.

"Yes, yes, there was a copy of this letter, but it was burned by someone with bad intentions. After I finished speaking, I glared at Elder Sharpland again, but he looked back at me with a calm demeanor like no one, which made my heart feel a little weaker.

Danio added: "In addition to this, there is also a handwritten letter from Alice, which was also destroyed. Because Crent is back in the Dark City, the news should have been delivered. ”

"That's right, the contagion is an unknown virus created by magic, and with the level of human alchemy, it is not possible to create such a virus. ”

At this time, Elder Sharpen spoke: "That's not necessarily, the culprit of the infectious disease has not yet been identified, and it cannot be concluded that this is not a human conspiracy." ”

"I have secretly sent someone to create a 'magic immunity book' that can resist infectious diseases, which is the result of the alchemist Morgan's life in exchange. As long as the Elder is willing to send someone into Noypera with a magic immunity book, it will prove everything. ”

The elder said, "I heard just now that the person who found out the true face of the virus is the soothsayer Alice. However, Alice had come to the Dark City to predict that soon after the Kingdom of Van Ness, there would be an outbreak of an infectious disease, caused by the human empire. ”

"What......" I couldn't help but be stunned, dare to love that this is a play directed and acted by Alice?

Danio wondered, "What does this have to do with the principality?"

"The presence of the Imperial Army in the Duchy now shows that the Duchy is being interfered with by the Empire. Moreover, the empire and the kingdom of Van Ness are so far apart that even if they are the makers of infectious diseases, they must spread through the principality, right?"

"In other words, you're planning to destroy the Duchy first, and then go to the Empire?" said Danio in disbelief.

Queen Maya replied calmly, "Lord Alice never said that the Duchy was related to infectious diseases, and the elders took it for granted. ”

“......”

"So, until the truth is known, the two countries need a temporary truce, what does the elder think?"

Elder Sharpen pondered for a while and said, "Does the Queen remember Sharan?"

Oops! I'm afraid he'll bring it up!

"Remember, she was my emissary to the principality. ”

"Half a month ago, the Duchy of Belmar sent her corpse, isn't this a blatant provocation to our Van Ness Kingdom?"

"Sharan died from a sharp eye ray, and there is indeed a powerful monster called the 'Evil Eye' in the Sky City. Many people in the Duchy also saw Saran walk to the city in the sky, which was obviously an accident. ”

"Whether it was an accident or not remains to be verified. If Shalan died at the hands of humans, this account would have to be settled by the Duchy of Belmar. Elder Sharpen glanced at the three of us, "And, as far as I know, there were several other adventurers who also went to Sky City at that time, including two of them present. ”

I was so numb from this glance that I didn't dare to say anything.

Danio said: "That's right, we did have an adventure in Sky City at that time, but our teammate Amy was injured during the adventure and had to turn back to Huttonmar, which Huttonmar's hospital can testify. ”

“...... Well. Elder Sharpen was a little skeptical.

"Besides, we are just ordinary adventurers, and we have no grievances with Shalan, why should we kill her?Also, Shalan is the president of the Magic Guild, and many adventurers from the Demon World have learned magic from her, she is also a teacher and benefactor to Nicole, even if the rest of us want to kill Shalan, will Nicole let us do it?"

"Hmph, how can you defeat such a master of magic, you are too arrogant!" Elder Sharpen said disdainfully.

Danio laughed, "Then do you still doubt us?"

As soon as these words came out, Elder Sharpen naturally had nothing to say, after all, he was the one who doubted us, and it was he who judged that our strength was not enough to kill Shalan.

At this time, Queen Meya said: "In this case, I declare that the Kingdom of Van Ness will have a truce with the Duchy of Belmar, and the three of you will go back and pass on the news!"

"Wait!" exclaimed Elder Sharpen, "I will not agree to a truce until the truth is known!"

Queen Meiya said, "What does the elder suggest?"

"If you want to prove that this plague is not the work of humans, then go and destroy the perpetrators yourself!"

Queen Maia looked stunned and said, "Why let the envoy of the principality take the risk?"

"It's also for the sake of your country. If we can't solve the root cause of infectious diseases, we can only snatch the land of mankind in order to survive!"

That's good, I had to go to Neupera because I had to go to Neupera.

I raised my head and said confidently, "That's what I want, as long as we can eliminate the source of the plague, you are willing to stop fighting between the two countries, right?"

Elder Sharpen nodded: "I will never break my word. ”

"In that case, I hope that the kingdom's army will continue to stand still, and I will also send someone to deliver the news of the 'temporary truce', what is the opinion of the elders. ”

Elder Sharpland said, "I have no opinion. However, if it is found that the Principality has spread the virus, or if they have not addressed the source of the contagion, Her Majesty must immediately wage war against the Principality. ”

The queen was hesitant at first, but when she saw my determined look, she said, "One word is a deal." ”

————————————

We walked out of the palace and came to the long bridge again.

Although Queen Maia said that there are senate eyeliner everywhere, she also talked to us about those sensitive topics here, so at least there is no eyeliner here, right?

Then you're welcome.

"Hmph, the fox's tail is exposed, what kind of contagion? It's just an excuse for the expansion of force. This despicable and shameless elder will be punished sooner or later!"

Although I said it angrily, Lifa and Danio also looked like they agreed.

"At the entrance to the Dark City, this old thing almost killed us, and now he asked the three of us to solve the plague, and he still wants us to die?"

"I understand your feelings, but pay attention to your words, do you know where you are?"

We turned around and found that Matthew, Eddard, and Amy had all arrived!