"It's Pitzman..."

　　

　　 "Your Majesty Ryze, we didn't find Pitzman in the palace. He seems to... escaped..."

　　

　　 The words of Marshal Teodoro, like a sudden bomb, suddenly blasted in Rez's ears.

　　

　　 The original ambition and stability of victory disappeared without a trace in an instant.

　　

"What did you say?!"

　　

　　 Rez felt a little confused in his head, so that he was shocked on horseback.

　　

　　 Marshal Teodoro repeated:

　　

　　 "Pitzman, he seems to have... escaped... We searched the entire Norman Palace, but no trace of him was found..."

　　

　　 "Look! Even if you dig three feet in the ground, you have to find him for me!!"

　　

　　 Rez said in a deep voice.

　　

　　 I have exhausted all my hardships and paid a very painful loss, and finally managed to break into the city. If Pitzman is still allowed to escape... then the consequences are simply unthinkable!

　　

　　Because the blood of this Alexander family circulates in Pitzman's body after all, if he fights for nobles and establishes another government in other parts of the empire, then the whole empire will not be peaceful!

　　

　　This will only make Leizi's army exhausted, and it will be difficult for the entire empire to get a chance to recuperate.

　　

　　Teodoro naturally also knew the consequences of Pitzman’s escape. Upon seeing this, he was full of solemn expression and quickly replied:

　　

"Yes!"

　　

　　……

　　

　　 St. Lawrence after experiencing the war, the city is full of ruins.

　　

　　 The surrounding area of ​​the Norman Palace is a little better, but the civilian residential area on the edge of the city wall is undoubtedly the most chaotic place in the entire city.

　　

　　 For the soldiers who have just experienced a test of life and death, it is finally time to divide the loot and plunder.

　　

　　 They began to wreak havoc in the homes of the civilians. Although they would not kill the city, they also broke into the homes unscrupulously and stole all the previous belongings from the homes of the civilians.

　　

after all……

　　

　　 This is a reward given to them by Ryze.

　　

　　 Without the temptation of heavy money, who would fight for a lifetime to die for the nobles?

　　

Although the soldiers under Rez have experienced countless wars, they are not as disciplined as the Idars. In addition, Rez ordered the entire search for Pitzman. Therefore...in two full days, The civilians of St. Lawrence have suffered.

　　

　　 You know, when it was time to defend the city, Pitzman sent countless young people to the battlefield.

　　

　　 So at this moment, the victorious siege army naturally did not have the slightest restraint. There was an anger in their hearts. If civilians dared to stop them, then only sharp blades and butcher knives would be waiting for them.

　　

　　 Two days.

　　

　　 The time for Leizi to looting was two days. Only after tomorrow, the reconstruction of St. Lawrence will begin, and the civilians living in this city will survive this catastrophe.

　　

However……

　　

　　 In this vast huge city, not all corners are full of plunder and chaos.

　　

　　The surrounding area of ​​the Norman Palace, the Alfaro Avenue lined with mage towers, and the Wilson Cathedral in the north of St. Lawrence, these three areas may be the only areas in the city that maintain peace and stability.

　　

　　The soldiers naturally did not dare to provoke those powerful wizards who could cast spells. As the only important stronghold of the Church of Light in the capital of St. Lawrence, the Wilson Cathedral was naturally also under the guardianship of the Crusades, safe and sound.

　　

　　 The long night, the moon and stars are scarce.

　　

　　 As night fell, the high-hanging crescent moon shed a faint light in the night, and almost the entire outline of the city of St. Lawrence was shrouded in the dark night sky.

　　

　　 There are no bright lights like the Duchy of Idar. The few lights come from the surroundings of the Norman Palace, the outer walls, and the soldiers on duty patrolling the streets holding torches.

　　

　　 In the Wilson Cathedral north of St. Lawrence, Bishop Fleming held a bright candlestick and pushed open the door of the underground dark room in the flickering candlelight.

　　

　　 "Your Majesty Pitzman..." He greeted softly.

　　

　　 This dark room is very large, and the inside is extra spacious. There are not only the main hall for receiving guests, but also the study, bedroom, dining room, and even the small room where the attendants live.

　　

　　 Pittsman escaped from the palace, with few people, only four or five loyal personal attendants, and they didn't feel crowded at all.

　　

　　 When Bishop Fleming opened the door, Pitzman sat in a daze in the spacious main hall.

　　

　　 If he changes to a weekday, he naturally does not have such a leisurely mind.

　　

But... now that St. Lawrence was breached by Ryze, and he was taken to this dark room by Bishop Fleming with nothing to do, so I had time to recall everything I experienced in the past. It was a rare experience. leisure.

　　

　　 Seeing Bishop Fleming who opened the door, Pitzman couldn't help frowning slightly.

　　

When Bishop Fleming took him to escape from the secret road before, Pitzman didn’t have time to think about why there are interconnected secret roads in the church and the palace, but he was determined to regain control with the support of the Holy Religious Army. Throne.

　　

　　 But when he finally arrived in the dark room of Wilson Cathedral, he had time to regain everything that had happened before.

　　

　　 And this thought,

　　

　　 My mind is naturally full of doubts.

　　

　　 For a long time, the Church of Illumination has never interfered with secular affairs, and it has never cared about events such as the change of the throne.

　　

after all……

　　

　　 The Norman Royal Family and the Bright Church, one is theocracy, and the other is the monarchy. It can be said that they are not related to each other.

　　

　　 But nowadays, Pittman not only heard the rumors about the interaction between the church and the Odin Empire a few days ago, the Bishop Fleming of the Diocese of St. Lawrence has even directly received himself into the church.

　　

　　 The nobles who supported him in the past have all defected, but the Bright Church, which had been unable to fight with him before, took the initiative to stand up.

　　

　　 Pitzman is not very smart, but at least he is not a fool.

　　

so……

　　

　　 Anyway, he doesn't believe what the church told him.

　　

　　 "When I just wanted to go out, why did the Holy Clerical Army outside the door stop me?!"

　　

　　 Pitzman said somewhat displeasedly.

　　

　　Although Bishop Fleming has always respected himself, but to be honest, from the soldiers of the Crusade Army, Pittman can't see the respect for the Norman royal family at all.

　　

　　 Hearing this, Bishop Fleming couldn't help but smile, and replied softly:

　　

　　 "All this is for your majesty's safety. Rez is a traitor who kills the king and the father. If he ignores the status of the Bright Church and sends troops into the church without authorization, how can he protect your majesty's thoroughness?"

　　

　　 "You said before that the Church of Illumination will help me regain the throne, right?"

　　

　　 "That's natural, as long as your majesty can do what we say, I wish you back the throne with ease." Bishop Fleming said confidently.

　　

　　 "According to... what you said?" Pitzman asked coldly.

　　

　　 Hearing this, Bishop Fleming nodded.

　　

　　 "We will arrange for you to leave the city as a soldier of the Holy Order. After you leave the city, you will go to the holy city to meet the pope's crown. At that time, the pope's crown will naturally give you pointers."

　　

　　 "See you?!"

　　 Pitzman stood up suddenly, glaring at the bishop in front of him.

　　

　　 As the royal family of the Norman Empire, as the emperor of the Norman Empire, to "visit" a so-called theocracy leader, Pitzman really knew what it meant.

　　

　　 "Your Majesty calms down, I just come here to inform you, I hope we can cooperate closely in the future."

　　

　　 Seeing Pittsman glared, Bishop Fleming knew that there was no possibility of continuing the conversation, so he simply turned and walked out of the dark room, leaving only Pittsman and a few attendants to furious in the dark room.

　　

　　 "Take care of him, don't make any mistakes, let alone miss the big plan under the pope's crown!"

　　

　　 walked out the door and gave orders to the soldiers on both sides of the Crusade Army. Bishop Fleming regained his smile and walked towards the stairs leading to the ground.

　　

"clear."

　　

　　……

　　

　　The western part of the empire.

　　

　　 A team of noble chariots with many entourages has just crossed the Chishui River that borders the Carter Plateau in the Stu'an Basin.

　　

　　 Looking around, Mr. Lin’s attendants and attendants add up to the size of one to two hundred people. If it weren’t for a large nobleman, he would definitely not be able to support a fleet of this size.

　　

　　 Moreover, in addition to the numerous entourages, there are even fifty or sixty elite knights in front of and behind the convoy.

　　

　　 Although the armor they wear is completely different from the standard armor of the Imperial Army, it is better than the standard armor in terms of workmanship and defensive ability.

　　

　　The knights who opened the road in front of the convoy held colorful flags in their hands. The flags were painted with different patterns and emblems and fluttered in the cold wind of early winter.

　　

　　 Among the many flags, the most eye-catching one is naturally the Cheetah emblem of the Carter family.

　　

　　 Yes,

　　

　　 This is the caravan of Duke Carter Fabian Asimov.

　　

　　 Just a few days ago, he had just been in the Stuan Basin and personally met the other great duke in the western part of the empire, Duke of Rune Mankien Brad.

　　

　　 Although the road was a bit bumpy, the Duke Carter didn't feel so uncomfortable.

　　

You know, his car is made by the best craftsmen in the western part of the empire. It is not only extremely luxurious, but also inlaid with gems and plated with gold leaf. Whether it is viewed from a distance or close up, it gives people a kind of not close. Aura.

　　

　　 In the luxurious carriage, the Duke Carter frowned tightly, and his heart was full of worries.

　　

　　 The western part of the empire did not suffer too much from the struggle for the throne. Apart from the influx of refugees, the chaos of the war did not bring much impact and trauma to this land.

　　

But……

　　

　　 Since a few months ago, the concentration of magic power in the western part of the empire has gradually decreased at a relatively slow rate.

　　

　　 In fact, at the beginning, Duke Carter didn't pay much attention to this phenomenon.

　　

　　 After all, the concentration of magic power in any place cannot be the same forever, and the flow of magic power in the air is also a normal phenomenon in the eyes of the wizards.

　　

　　 If a natural phenomenon such as a magic storm appears somewhere, it will definitely affect the concentration of magic power within a certain range.

　　

　　 But the problem is... this kind of natural fluctuations will always have a cycle. If it is short or even a short period of time, the concentration of magic power that was originally reduced will be increased again.

　　

　　 But the decrease in the concentration of magic power in the western part of the empire seems to have no end, and the rate of decrease in the concentration of magic power is constantly accelerating.

　　

　　 What's more terrible is,

　　

　　 Originally, Duke Carter thought that the magic concentration of Jiang Du only happened in his own territory.

　　

　　 But the messenger from the Duke of Luen from the Stuan Basin,

　　

　　 surprised him suddenly!

　　

　　 In just a few months, the concentration of magic power in the western part of the empire has been reduced by a quarter!

　　

This……

　　

　　 is definitely not a normal phenomenon!

　　

　　 If you change to another nobleman, then you can only watch the decrease in the concentration of magic power and don't know what to do.

　　

But,

　　

　　 This is the western part of the empire,

　　

　　 The most affected by the reduction in the concentration of magic power are undoubtedly Duke Carter and Duke Luen, the two largest aristocratic giants in the western part of the empire!

　　

　　 Behind each of them, there are dozens of mages serving them, and even the mages of the Ethan School whose influence covers the entire western part of the empire have more or less connections with these two nobles.

　　

therefore,

　　

　　 Under the leadership of Duke Carter and Duke Luen,

　　

　　 The nobles and mages throughout the western part of the empire were mobilized, vowing to thoroughly investigate the hidden secrets behind the reduction in the concentration of magic power.

　　

　　 With their strong control over the western part of the empire, they really found something!

　　

　　 For example... the church!

　　

　　According to the information collected by the two great dukes, after countless comparisons, Bishop Olsson of the Religious Inquisition finally entered the eyes of the nobles in the western part of the empire.

　　

　　 The magic power in the western part of the empire is slowly gathering towards the Cecil Mountains in the western part of the empire at an extremely slow speed.

　　

　　 And Bishop Olsson, who belongs to the Religious Inquisition of the Bright Church, led a team of priests and soldiers into the Cecil Mountain Range just around the time when the concentration of magic power began to decrease!

　　

　　 More importantly...

　　

　　 Not only did these priests not wear the armor of the priests that they usually take pride in, but they also wore civilian-like rags on their bodies!

　　

　　 "What exactly is the church going to do?!"

　　

　　 Sitting in the carriage, Duke Carter's thoughts were mixed, and his head was a mess.

　　

　　 Although Duke Luen had some resistance to the existence of the Church of Illumination in the western part of the empire, Duke Carter still had a glimmer of expectations for the church in his heart.

　　

　　 Maybe...

　　

　　 Is this just a misunderstanding?

　　

　　Moreover, during this interview, the many opinions and ideas put forward by Duke Luen~lightnovelpub.net~ made Duke Carter more or less hesitant.

　　

　　Because of these proposals, in addition to recruiting refugees, there are many other content such as recruiting soldiers, training the army, building ordnance, and building fortresses.

　　

　　In the eyes of the peace-loving Duke Carter, this is simply...it's hard to say...

　　

To know,

　　

　　 News of the fall of St. Lawrence has not yet reached the western part of the empire.

　　

　　 So in his opinion, Duke Luen’s approach is very likely to break the neutral and restrained position of the western aristocracy and participate in the struggle for the throne.

　　

　　 But when Duke Carter was in deep thought, the carriage under him suddenly slammed, and Duke Carter's forehead slammed into the carriage of the carriage.

　　

　　 The pain in his forehead made Duke Carter quite upset, he couldn't help but roared: "Damn! What are you doing?!"

　　

only……

　　

　　 Before the attendants outside the carriage could reply, it was the moment his words fell...

　　

　　 an extremely sharp crossbow arrow,

　　

　　 broke open the plank of the carriage in an instant, passed through the flying sawdust, and nailed the Duke Carter's chest fiercely.

　　

　　 噗嗤!

　　

　　 Duke Carter only felt a tearing pain in his chest, blood flowing...