Chapter 421 Twilight Province
Since that day, the atmosphere of the caravan has become much more peaceful.
The wheels are rolling, the sound of horse hooves is ringing, the accompanying mercenaries are no longer as tense as before, the driver is often humming a tune in a good mood, and even the wind along the way seems to have softened.
And this incredible change actually came from the new "nun" Kallen in the team.
After regaining her life, she put on a set of clean clothes, which was a gift given to her by Miss Sarah, Mr. Colin's bodyguard, and she accepted it gratefully.
Although it was a bit tight, she used borrowed scissors and needles to modify it and it still fit.
And no matter what, this dress is much better than that black robe stained with mud.
After washing away the dirt and dust on her body in the cold river water, she combed her scattered hair into a neat braid and hung it on her shoulders, and then put on a nun's headscarf made from the blanket given to her by Mr. Colin.
She seemed to have really turned into a nun.
At first, the mercenaries in the caravan thought it was incredible, but as time went by, they gradually got used to it.
In the evening, Thomas's caravan set up camp as usual before it became completely dark.
The young mercenary who almost got into trouble for talking too much was sitting alone by the fire, awkwardly handling the wound on his arm that was cut by a branch, grinning in pain.
That was an injury sustained during patrol.
He always felt that the leader was deliberately making trouble for him and sent him to a difficult patrol route.
While he was cursing, Karen walked to him quietly, carrying a basin of warm water and a clean cloth.
"Let me help you." Her voice was very soft.
The young mercenary was startled. He looked up and saw it was her, with an awkward expression on his face.
logous to the ground by the water basin on the ground, and looked at him with clear eyes.
The young man was finally defeated under her gaze, and he let go of the hand holding the wound.
Karien washed away the blood with warm water, then took out a clean cloth and carefully wrapped it around his wound. She remained silent during the entire process.
On the other hand, the young mercenary, perhaps feeling that the atmosphere was too silent, started talking on his own.
My name is Ben, and my home is in a small village south of Longshi City. My father is a blacksmith. He always said that I was not made for work and had no chance to learn any magic, so he asked me to go out and try my luck. Actually, I know why. The main reason is that there is only one blacksmith shop in the family, and he has three sons, so they cannot all be blacksmiths. "
He smiled mockingly, sighed and continued.
‖ employers
Kallen listened quietly until he finished speaking, then spoke softly.
"Saint Sith will bless everyone who works hard to live, I believe you can do it—"
Ben was stunned for a moment, and then smiled with relief.
"Yes, thank you. I'd like to lend you some good advice. Maybe that's the case."
He didn't really think that he could really retire safely. He basically spent all the money he earned and lived a day-to-day life.
But now, he suddenly felt that there was nothing wrong with making some long-term plans. What if one day his dream of returning to a peaceful life really came true?
After all, a miracle happened in front of him a few days ago. Maybe the gods are still listening to the worries of mortals.
Ben felt that the wound on his arm was less painful, and the irritability in his heart had also dissipated a lot, and he regained hope for life.
Karen nodded with a smile, picked up the basin, and left quietly.
Looking at the back of the figure who turned away, Ben's Adam's apple moved, and suddenly he called out to her,
"Wait a minute -..."
Kallen stopped and looked back at him.
"What's wrong?"
"That—.I'm sorry."
Ben scratched the back of his head, embarrassment written on his green face, he hesitated for a moment and then said with shame.
"I originally wanted to help you that day, or at least intercede for you, but I seemed to have messed up. Instead, the lord's cavalry suspected that you were here." How can I express my apology.
Looking at the embarrassed young man, Kallen smiled softly and shook his head gently.
"It's okay, I don't blame you."
Ben: "But-" Looking at him who still wanted to say something, Kallen continued in a gentle tone.
"And I have also cursed you to hell. Actually, if you think about it carefully, you who are just passing by here are not obliged to take me in.
You have your own difficulties, and you have helped me a lot."
Ben looked at Karen wrongly, as if he did not expect her to think so, and her ashamed face became even more embarrassed.
Human is such an awkward animal.
If Karen followed his words and criticized him, he would not be touched at all. But if it was the other way around and she accepted his confession tolerantly, he would become even more embarrassed.
After a long silence, Ben whispered.
"If there is anything I can do to help, please tell me. Even though I'm not reliable at what I do, I'm quite strong."
Karen smiled and nodded slightly.
"I will."
Ben breathed a sigh of relief, and the cheerful smile returned to his young face.
He feels much better.
Karien carried the basin to the stream outside the camp and disposed of the blood-stained water.
She discovered that, as Mr. Colin said, what people need is not the profound wisdom in the Book of Holy Words.
They just long for someone to hear their voice in the difficult life.
In this way, it really doesn’t matter whether you have read that book or not.
On the contrary, those who memorize what Saint Sith said by heart, those who pray for the common people all day long but refuse to bow their heads to look at the common people, have forgotten what the shape of the Holy Light is. They practice their beliefs through their own bodies, and Kallen's existence gradually becomes an indispensable part of this caravan bumping in the wilderness.
She is like a mobile confessional, bringing some solace to these tired souls.
At first, some mercenaries would secretly make up some dirty jokes about Miss "Nun", but as time went by, they gradually no longer felt embarrassed to do so.
By listening to the sufferings of the believers, Karen gradually felt that her inner strength was awakening.
She is no longer the poor person who needs to be saved, but has become the support of others.
At this point, she also fully understood the true meaning of Mr. Colin's "I'm sure" - her qualifications and identity did not need to be conferred by a superior authority, but needed to be fulfilled by herself in the process of fulfilling her mission.
She has understood her destiny.
In Luo Yan's carriage, the atmosphere was so quiet that only the monotonous sound of the rolling wheels could be heard.
He enjoyed the tranquility, which allowed him to calm down and concentrate on reading the book open in his hands.
Unfortunately, before he could enjoy it for long, the tranquility was broken by an impatient "snap" sound.
I saw a little female dragon holding her paws, curled up on the soft cushion in an upright manner, her small tail slapping the wool blanket under her body again and again, her golden vertical pupils full of resentment.
She finally couldn't help it and complained to the guy who was reading leisurely.
"Hey! It was obviously me who scared those bad guys away, why does everyone take the credit on you?"
Where's the Dragon God?
Why does no one worship the Dragon God?
Hearing the pet's complaint, Luo Yan didn't even raise his eyelids. He just turned over a page of the book and said casually: "What is the credit you are referring to? How many horses were scared away?"
"Otherwise? Isn't this my credit?"
"And then?"
"Then, then?" Tuff was stunned when asked, "Then - they ran away! Kallen was safe - wasn't it?
Luo Yan finally closed the book, turned his gaze to the unreasonable and strong brat, and smiled lightly.
"You are very similar to a person."
"Who?"
"That Sir Richter who we have never met before."
What do you mean."
Looking at Taff who was confused and did not even realize that he was hurting her, Luo Yan said in a gentle tone.
"It's not interesting. He has a simple sense of honor, and you have a simple sense of justice. You seem completely different, but sometimes you are very similar. You just think about things one by one, and you hardly think about the question "What next?" "
When he read her diary a long time ago, he felt that the Dragon God Gutafu was always moving from one right to the next, and then his disciples followed him from one hell to the next, and it was not until he was sent away that things got better.
Of course, it only healed for a while. Because the Holy Armored Dragon Clan did not liquidate Gutav's problem, they maintained the great barrier. So one day in the future, the lizard people of the Holy Ankylosaurus tribe, who were more abstract than Gutav, were born.
His will has been passed down and has become a brand imprinted deep in the souls of the Holy Armored Dragon Clan.
In fact, if this guy had not condensed his divine personality and was just an ordinary researcher or guinea pig, he would be a pretty good person.
Looking at Tafu who was speechless, Luo Yan said in a slow voice.
Although I don't want to argue with you about such meaningless things as "credit", you pulled that human girl out of the fire pit in Eagle Rock Territory, only to have her fall into another fire pit in a different place and be roasted again by a stronger fire. "
"That's not called salvation, and it doesn't solve any problems. On the contrary, I gave her a way to go on, an identity that won't be bullied by anyone anymore - that's called salvation."
Taph was so choked by these words that she couldn't say a word, and her cheeks were bulging like balloons.
The Zetas lacked the tradition of being a magic stick. They were rigorous in logic but lacked the ability to talk nonsense. In the end, they could only mumble in dissatisfaction.
"I don't care, it was me who made the effort anyway." She turned her head and looked out the car window gloomily.
By coincidence, Kallen was smiling and wrapping a new bandage on a mercenary with an injured arm.
Her profile looked particularly soft in the sunlight, full of peace and strength that she had never seen before.
And those mercenaries also respected her very much, and they were completely different from when they were in Eagle Rock Territory.
It’s incredible.
They are obviously the same group of people!
Seeing this scene, the dissatisfaction and resentment on Taph's face gradually dissipated.
She had to admit that Kallen looked much better now than before, and all of this was indeed the Demon King's credit.
Before, she was like a mouse forced into a corner, struggling futilely in a cage of fear. Before being struck down by a tragic fate, she was first struck down by fear.
The girl seemed to have really found a new direction in life, instead of just changing places and continuing to escape. It was not just Taff who looked out the window, but also Sarah, who had been silent from beginning to end.
She suddenly remembered something that happened a long time ago.
Speaking of it, she hadn’t eaten the skewers baked by the Demon King himself for a long time. The tail of the rat was quite fragrant when grilled.
A few days have passed since then.
When the caravan carriage finally hit the land of the Kingdom of Lane, everyone including Thomas breathed a sigh of relief and completely let go of the remaining tension in their hearts.
They were originally worried that pursuers would catch up, but now it seemed that Mr. Cabin realized that his boots had kicked against a real steel plate.
Perhaps he and his cavalry are living in fear, or perhaps he is planning a famous escape. But no matter what, it has nothing to do with them. At least for a while, they will not appear in the Eagle Rock Territory.
However, this relaxation did not last long.
Especially when the caravan entered the Twilight Province in the northeast of the kingdom, even the horses held by the mercenaries gradually smelled the tension in the air.
It is far from the legendary "land of riding soil" that is rich in fine wine and glory. What is presented to everyone is a misleading depression.
The vast fields have long been deserted, and there is no trace of green in the cracked soil. Most of the villages along the way are empty, with closed doors and windows seeming to tell a silent tragedy.
Trapped homeless people with shabby faces and thin faces can be seen everywhere on both sides of the road. Their eyes are numb and they move slowly like ghosts, showing no reaction to the passing caravans.
It is not completely unresponsive.
Hym In many eyes that have not lost their vitality, there is also a frightening desire.
Him It seems that a serious famine has broken out here.
In the evening, the caravan camped and rested outside a village that was still barely inhabited.
Thomas thought about going into the village to exchange some salt and cloth for some information, but when he and a few guys approached the entrance of the village, the villagers immediately closed the door vigilantly like frightened rabbits, their eyes full of fear and distrust.
"Weird," Ben, who was following Thomas, scratched his head and muttered with confusion, "We don't look like bandits."
The mercenary leader on the side did not speak, but looked at the employer next to him and said in a low voice.
"We'd better leave this area as soon as possible - the situation here may be worse than we imagined."
Just famine is not enough to make the locals fear like this. After all, the caravan might have the supplies they need.
But their reaction at this moment is more like there are other troubles tormenting them.
"I agree with your point of view," Thomas nodded solemnly, "I will try my best to leave as soon as dawn."
This is not the most severely affected village, and it is close to the border of the Kingdom of Rhodes.
He simply couldn't imagine what else was waiting for them behind.
The caravan camped next to the village, and the two sides monitored each other and did not interfere with each other.
After nightfall, Karen began to pray.
While everyone was munching dry food in silence around the campfire, a thin boy ran out of the darkness of the village crying and stumbled to the side of the camp.
"Stop!" An older mercenary noticed it first and held the musket in his hand alertly.
The boy stopped in fear and looked at the ferocious face, but in the end he overcame his fear and did not turn around and run away. He asked everyone in a crying voice.
"Excuse me. Is there any priest among you?"
The mercenary was stunned for a moment, and exchanged glances with his companion next to him, not knowing how to answer.
The boy couldn't help sobbing when he saw no one answered: "My grandfather - he died the day before yesterday. He was a pious man during his lifetime. My father planned to bury him, but I want to ask a clergyman to give him the last blessing and send him away peacefully, at least not to let his body be buried. The soul is lost on the road..
In Osland, if no one takes the souls of ordinary people, it seems to be the most common destination for ordinary people's souls to become undead.
Mercenaries actually don't care much about this, and many of them have only recently found their faith.
Hearing the noise near the camp, Thomas walked through the crowd and walked to the boy. He looked at the child who was crying so sadly and asked.
“Don’t you have a priest here?”
The boy swallowed hard.
"There used to be one, but the priest and the lord fled to Twilight City together."
"No wonder we didn't even have a tax collector on the way here." The mercenary leader headed towards the entrance of the village. He glanced in the direction and couldn't help but curse, "These guys can run faster than rabbits."
Just when Thomas was thinking about how to politely refuse, Kallen suddenly walked through the crowd and walked over from the side of the caravan.
She walked up to the boy, knelt down gently, and touched his head gently.
"I am a nun," she said softly, "If you don't mind, I can pray for your grandfather."
He was overjoyed and was about to kowtow to Karen with tears of gratitude, but was gently supported by Karen.
"Thank you! Sister! Thank you!"
"This is the sacred duty entrusted to me by the gods," Kallen crossed herself on her chest and said in a gentle tone, "Please take me there."
The boy nodded excitedly and was about to take the nun back to the village when Thomas suddenly put his hand on his shoulder.
"It's too late today, let's wait until tomorrow."
Just as the villagers couldn't trust him, they couldn't trust these people who met by chance.
"Well! I can wait no matter how late it is!" The boy didn't think much about it. He just nodded excitedly and said thank you profusely. Finally, under the urging of everyone, he went back with satisfaction.
"Is this an extraneous matter?" The mercenary leader glanced at Thomas, and then looked at Miss Karen worriedly.
He knew that the girl was just a village girl, and had not been baptized. She just took a bath by the river·
Can she really fulfill her sacred obligations on behalf of the gods?
· Kindness cannot transcend the undead. In the end, it must be holy light or holy water.
"I don't know - maybe forget it. But it shouldn't take long, and when we go with her, it should be over soon -" When he said this, Thomas was also murmuring in his heart.
But in the end, he still couldn't say anything to persuade Kallen to give up. Just like he had to hesitate for a long time before making up his mind to push her into the fire pit. After all, he grew up watching the epics of heroes.
More than that, he is also a devout believer.
Although he only remembered it recently.
The next morning, Kallen hosted a simple and solemn funeral for the deceased old man under the gaze of the villagers and the company of the mercenaries.
She did not recite complicated scriptures because she simply could not. She used the most sincere and simple language to pray for the peace of soul of the deceased.
Pray for the courage to live for the living.
The old man's body did not become undead.
The Holy Light can purify the soul, but not all souls are ugly enough to require the Holy Light to be purified.
Whether one will become an undead after death depends to a large extent on his obsession while alive.
A person who leaves no regrets, even a necromancer would have a hard time pulling him out of the grave.
At most, it is to inject false soul into the empty bones.
Luo Yan glanced at it from a distance. The old man's soul lingered in front of the tombstone for a while and then left without any regrets.
As for where he went, he didn't know.
That is not his believer after all.
Kallen's sincerity impressed all the villagers present, and Thomas's caravan also gained the favor and trust of these suffering people.
After the funeral.
An old man with a vicissitudes of life took the initiative to find Thomas and asked him to lend him a moment to speak.
According to him, he was a friend of the deceased old man during his lifetime. In order to thank them for what they had done, he had something to say... -
"Thank you, thank you for what you did for the old guy, I have an explanation for him -" the old man's chapped lips moved,
After a pause, he said, "You are very good people, I can't watch you walk into the fire pit - there are some things I must tell you."
He glanced at the dead village behind him and lowered his voice.
"You may have discovered that there is not only famine here, but also war. The reason why we dare not talk to outsiders is that on the one hand we are afraid that you are the lords, and on the other hand we are also afraid that you are the "Kailan" people. 》
Thomas was stunned for a moment.
He had heard about the Brass Pass and knew that the pass was to the east of Dusk Province, not too far away from here.
However, the old man's expression told him that the war in this sentence did not refer to distant chaos, but something close at hand.
"Kailan?" The mercenary leader frowned and lowered his voice and asked, "What is that?"
The old man also lowered his voice, glanced left and right, and then whispered in a low voice.
"He is the leader of the Green Forest Army. That guy is a good person, but his subordinates may not be the same."
"Wait, what is the Green Forest Army?" Thomas looked at him doubtfully, and the confusion in his heart became more intense.
"A group of peasants making trouble, some are bandits and bandits, and outsiders like you who see the opportunity to get involved. There are all kinds of guys," the old man glanced at the mercenary next to Thomas and said with a complicated expression. , "A young man named Kailan led them to attack the noble territory, rob the granaries, and treasures. Because they wore green turbans, everyone called them the Green Forest Army, and later they themselves called them that."
Peasant uprising?
Luo Yan, who was standing far away, showed a surprised expression.
He was not surprised by the uprising itself, but he was surprised that a group of farmers could actually rise up under the suppression of extraordinary power.
This sounds incredible.
After all, even a diamond-level demon king would just be poked with a "fire stick" in front of Archduke Campbell.
Following Thomas, the mercenary named Ben asked curiously: "They are robbing the nobles' granaries, but they are not robbing you.
What are you afraid of?"
Hearing this senseless speech, a bitter smile appeared on the old man's face and he shook his head: "Sir, the nobles have already fled to Dusk City with their families, maybe even to the royal capital further away. Which granary in this land belongs to the "noble" and which person is a noble is not a matter of a word from the Green Forest Army - do you think I am a noble? "
Thomas took a look at the old man's attire and fell into silence.
After a moment, he said.
"Thank you for your advice, we will leave as soon as possible."
He originally thought that it might be better to go to Twilight City. After all, it is the capital of Twilight Province, with a large population and prosperous commerce.
But now it seems that there is not a good place to go. They have to go further south.
Thinking of this, Thomas couldn't help but smile bitterly in his heart. He had already begun to regret that he had expanded his business to the Kingdom of Lane. The land of knights was not as popular as he imagined.
Looking at the travelers who listened to the advice, the old man nodded with a pleased smile on his face.
"It's best, you can go to the royal capital, it's still very safe there! As for the Twilight Province, this is not a place for you outsiders. Even our provincial governor can't do anything to Kailan."
Thomas nodded solemnly.
"Thank you."
At the same time, the Governor's Mansion in Dusk City.
The governor, Baron Ellaric Valerius, was rubbing his temples tiredly, his eyes bloodshot, staring at the huge provincial map on the wall.
The map was filled with flags of all sizes, so much so that the chess markers in the box were not enough.
Each flag corresponds to a drifting smoke. The rebels wearing green turbans are like spreading mold, which has spread from the deepest part of Dusk Forest to the edge of Dusk City.
In contrast to the rise of the rebels, the lion flag representing the kingdom's nobles has already fallen to the ground.
Those nobles who claimed that they valued glory as their lives either gave up their territories and feudal obligations and fled, or they huddled around the castle with their servants, hiding like timid turtles.
The group of peasants holding pitchforks couldn't knock down their castle.
As for the extraordinary strength, those nobles also happened to have some advantages. Fortunately, they did not have to disperse their own few troops to wipe their butts.
However, even so, the situation in Twilight City is still not optimistic, because the problem in Twilight Province is far more than just the rebels, but also the famine that has lasted for nearly a year!
At the moment, we can only hope that His Majesty the King will send his most elite knights to reinforce this place. After all, this is the territory directly under the king's jurisdiction. Most of the land belongs to the palace. I believe that for the sake of the annual taxes paid by Dusk City, His Majesty will not leave it alone.
Not long ago, he had sent a letter to the palace asking for help, and it was estimated that a reply would be coming soon.
Just when Alalic was worried about the future of Dusk Province, a servant suddenly rushed in in a hurry.
"Sir, the reply from the royal capital has arrived!" The attendant held a letter with the royal seal in his arms, and he didn't even bother to knock on the door at this moment.
However, Elalic did not blame him. Instead, he became energetic and snatched the letter from the attendant's hand and tore it open.
However, when he saw the contents of the letter, he felt as if he had been struck by lightning, and he froze on the spot.
There was not a word in the letter about reinforcements, not even a word of condolences for the famine, only an incredible order in gorgeous words - [Baron Elalic Valerius, may the Holy Light be with you. Leon, the envoy from the Academy, will arrive in Twilight City in the near future. You must show him the prosperity and richness of Twilight City to show the majesty and glory of the Kingdom of Lane, and let the old scholars in the mage tower open their eyes and see how far behind we are -
Elalic felt his chest shrink, and for a moment it seemed as if his heart had stopped beating, and he had even forgotten to breathe.
Glory?
What is your Majesty talking about?
His expression suddenly twisted, he crumpled the letter into a ball angrily and smashed it on the bookshelf.
The attendant standing nearby was frightened and did not dare to say a word. He did not understand why the governor was so angry and slumped down on the chair. Elalic's chest heaved violently, and his heart was filled with gray.
He didn't know what His Majesty the King was thinking, and he even couldn't help but begin to wonder if the letter, which carried the hope of millions of people in the province, had never been delivered to the King at all.
Just when he was worried, a steady voice suddenly came from the side.
"Sir, since the king's reinforcements have been delayed in arriving, perhaps we can ask for help from the Principality of Campbell."
The person who spoke was his most trusted aide.
I saw an old man with gray hair picking up the crumpled letter, flattening it and gently placing it back on the governor's desk.
Alaric raised his head suddenly and looked at his staff by mistake, a trace of struggle flashing in his eyes.
"Asking for help from the Principality of Campbell? Are you sure?"
He has a good relationship with Edward Campbell. The young Archduke is a very capable man, and he does things vigorously and resolutely. He will never let him wait endlessly.
The staff nodded slightly and spoke in a calm tone.
"Emergency matters, these are extraordinary times, we must get through the current difficulties first."
"Have you considered the consequences?" Elalic smiled bitterly, "That is equivalent to admitting that the royal family is no longer able to control the northern territory!"
"I know, your lord, but the fact is this - it is not only the nobles of the Twilight Province who have given up their feudal obligations, but also our respected Majesty." The staff nodded and said calmly,
"Furthermore, the Grand Duke Edward is also a vassal of His Majesty in name, so there is no legal problem in asking him to send troops. In addition, if the flames of the Green Forest Army burn through the Twilight Province Stromgarde in the south, and his principality will suffer next - I think His Highness the Grand Duke will understand his situation, and it is the best choice for him to take action as soon as possible."
"But what about the king? "Elalic's voice was a little hoarse, "Your Majesty will not let me go."
He will inevitably be punished by death if he abandons the Dusk Province, but if he embarrasses the face-loving Majesty, he will also be punished afterwards.
The staff member said softly.
"Don't worry within three years."
"Reason?"
"There is no reason, this requires your efforts - or our efforts."
The staff's voice paused, and there was a fierceness in his eyes, as if Zaojie's determination was huge when he said this.
"We must not only allow the troops of the Principality of Campbell to come in, but also allow them to gain enough benefits from this war and have enough motivation to continue fighting this war."