I will be crowned king

Osteria Palace, Throne Hall.

With an indifferent expression, Ansen walked through the corridor outside the main hall step by step. He even had time to look at the royal guards escorting him on both sides, admiring their stiff expressions as if facing a powerful enemy.

Different from the scene like the stars holding the moon when I came last time, this time in order to welcome the "Chief of Royal Guards" who came specially to meet him, the Queen Mother Regent, who was clearly not even equipped to defend the palace, mobilized half a platoon of manpower. , escorted all the way from the gate to the throne room, and even outside the gate, a dozen guards could be seen lined up in two rows, with their right hands next to their weapons, their eyes never leaving the thin figure.

Obviously, Anne Herred fully learned the lessons of Carlos II.

With the door slamming shut behind him, Anson's eyes fell on the beautiful and dignified figure on the throne; wearing a crown on her head, she was wearing a purple imperial dress, and a large cloak with white piping fell to the ground from the throne, holding a hand in her left hand. He held a pure gold scepter and raised a saber inlaid with sapphire in his right hand. His eyes hanging down from his hair coldly scanned the figure under the steps.

Anson, who frowned slightly, looked around the empty hall. Except for himself and the Queen Regent on the throne, he was sure that no one was present.

No, this doesn't seem like a compromise.

"I didn't expect that we would meet again so soon, Lieutenant General Anson Bach."

Low and melodious words came from the throne. Even if you couldn't see her face clearly in the low voice, you could still feel the anger in the other party's heart: "As expected, even Carlos II personally praised me for being able to live in the New World." The general who turned the tide in such an extreme situation; amazing, really amazing."

"It's no exaggeration to say that every move you make is beyond my expectation. It's so unpredictable that I can't guess what you really want and what your purpose is; when the truth comes out, it will be too late to take any measures. "

"Your Majesty has oversold you." Anson's eyes flickered: "What I wanted has been simple from the beginning, and that is to make Clovis great again."

"Make Clovis great again? Ha!"

The corners of Anne Herred's mouth raised, and her eyes contained unspeakable sarcasm and sullenness: "Whose Clovis, the Clovis of the Osterian royal family, or your Clovis?!"

"Why can't it belong to everyone?" Anson asked back: "As long as Clovis is strong enough, does it matter who is the nominal owner...?"

"Arrogant!"

The Queen Mother Regent on the throne was trembling all over: "The thief of the scepter! The thief who stole the country! The despicable traitor! You, the leader of the mob, have wasted so much trust and love that the throne has given you!"

"Anson Bach, as long as you still have the slightest bit of conscience, you should immediately shoot yourself to prove your loyalty to the throne; of course, such a precious quality as 'loyalty' should have long since ceased to exist in you!" Anson smiled indifferently at Anne Herald's sarcasm; before, he might have been in the mood to reply, but now...

Well, what's the deal with a loser's yapping?

It seemed that she had finally vented enough anger. The Queen Mother Regent breathed a sigh of relief and returned to her original elegant and solemn appearance: "Of course, it seems that the throne still needs you as a 'loyal minister' to defend it... So let's talk, Your conditions.”

"What can we do to make the 'people's representatives' of the Kingdom of Clovis put aside their grudges and cooperate with the royal family to overcome the difficulties together?"

After the words fell, the hall was quiet for more than ten seconds.

Just when the Queen Mother, who was suppressing her temper, became sullen again, Anson suddenly took half a step closer, causing her to instantly regain her alertness: "What are you going to do?!"

"Your Majesty, it seems that you still haven't resolved the misunderstanding." An Sen looked at her quietly, his tone full of regret:

"It sounds like you still believe that the status of the National Assembly must be lower than that of the royal family. The real owner of Clovis should be the Osteria family. Am I right?"

"What's wrong with this?"

"It used to be, but now it has changed."

"It's changed... Isn't that because you people are secretly inciting and inciting me?"

Anne Herred, who sneered, sneered disdainfully: "Don't think that I don't know what you want to do, Anson Bach... There are so many ambitious people like you in the empire for thousands of years! Then your usurpation of power Compared with my predecessors, you are not much better."

"Now I recognize your strength and achievements, and am willing to negotiate with you calmly; even if it is out of the most basic courtesy, please show a little respect to the royal family and don't act as if you are already the winner. "

"Even if you can incite and deceive the entire city of Clovis, in the central province and in the countryside of the vast Kingdom of Clovis, those subjects who have been deeply favored by the Osterian royal family and have been loyal for hundreds of years will still Treat you people as out-and-out traitors! Without the authorization of the king, your so-called National Assembly is nothing at all!"

Anson raised his eyebrows in surprise. He really didn't expect that the other party had actually seen through it to this point. Should he be said to be the Queen Mother of Clovis, who was actually in power and had been the regent for such a long time, and who was of the Herred royal family?

"So tell me your conditions, Lieutenant General Anson Bach. The throne has recognized your strength." Anne Herred said in a deep voice, but it was not difficult for anyone to hear her gritting her teeth:

"And in exchange, offer your loyalty to the throne."

I have to admit that although I and Ludwig personally promoted the Queen Mother to replace Carlos II, she does have the courage that a king should have - even if she is at the end of her rope. , still will not compromise its majesty.

A king can bow to another king, but he will never put himself and his subjects on an equal footing; no matter how unfavorable the situation is to him, and how much he needs the other's support, he will never put himself on an equal footing with his subjects. compromise.

But...

"We... to be more precise, the National Assembly's request is very simple, there is only one requirement." Anson said slowly:

"Your Majesty is invited to appear before the National Assembly and publicly declare that he is willing to subordinate his status to the Constitutional Code, recognizing the supremacy of the Code and the equality of all persons under it."

The plain words echoed under the dome of the hall. There was no one around, but Anson vaguely heard the sound of a sharp blade being unsheathed.

"……Can."

Anne Herred paused for a moment, her voice cold and full of murderous intent, but she still agreed happily: "But the exact time of Your Majesty's visit to the Parliament, and the specific laws and regulations that apply to the royal family, these must be discussed in detail. They cannot be exactly the same as ordinary subjects.”

"That's no problem." Anson nodded: "We don't expect His Majesty to accept everything. As for visiting the National Assembly... it's just a formality; as long as Your Majesty can show up in the Assembly, everything else can be discussed."

Anne Herred remained silent after hearing this, but her face was obviously much more relaxed than before.

"Then..." Before the atmosphere could change, Anson suddenly spoke again:

"From now on, His Majesty's 'Regent' power and the power to appoint and remove members of the Privy Council will all be transferred to the National Assembly. If Your Majesty wants to issue a certain decree or sign any bill, please come to the National Assembly and discuss it with the representatives. Make a decision later.”

"Anson Bach!"

The Queen Mother Regent roared in anger: "You arrogant rebel, don't go too far!"

"Excessive? This is just the minimum, Your Majesty." Anson raised his head and looked at her. The other person's eyes simply wanted to tear him into pieces on the spot:

"All the National Assembly wants is a royal commitment to ensure that the constitution we have worked so hard to agree on will be in a position that can never be shaken; that's all."

"That's all... you clearly want to replace the royal family and become the new king of Clovis!" Anne Herred gritted her teeth: "Don't think that I don't know your ambitions. You have successfully created a country in the new world. You must have been coveting Clovis’ crown for a long time, right?!”

"On the contrary, Your Majesty, I am strictly abiding by my previous promise."

"promise?"

"As long as the throne is willing to agree to the conditions of the National Assembly, I am willing to offer my loyalty." Anson's tone was extremely sincere: "For the current Osteria royal family, there is really no better choice than this."

"Perhaps you don't want to believe what I say, but the protesting people outside are convinced of the rumors that you asked the empire for help to suppress them, and the 'rebellious' Southern Legion can't wait to prove their justice. We must punish the 'royal family who betrayed the country and the army'... The vast majority of them are eager to break into the palace and wipe out the blood of the royal family members and wealthy nobles in the palace!"

The moment the words fell, Anne Herred's expression was obviously a little more panicked, but she quickly successfully concealed it.

"...Hmph, why can't I trust this?" She forced a calm sneer, and the Queen Mother Regent's tone also became sarcastic: "Mediocre and incompetent ordinary people are like this, always eager to hurt people who are nobler than them. way to prove their strength and difference.”

"If that's the case, then our loyal chief of royal guards must have defied all opinions and firmly stood on the side of not harming the royal family? This is really very grateful. He is indeed a loyal minister and general appointed by Carlos II!"

"Don't dare."

Anson nodded slightly: "Whether doing this is beneficial to Clovis, that is the most important thing."

"For the benefit of Clovis, for the benefit of Clovis..."

The Queen Mother murmured to herself and looked at him meaningfully: "Speaking of which, you seemed to have said the same thing at Nicholas's coronation ceremony; for the supreme interests of Clovis...Clovis...not Osterley Sub-royal.”

"I really regret that I couldn't see your face clearly at that time!"

"It's too late now, Your Majesty." Anson smiled softly: "You can tell Clovis Cathedral or the Truth Seeking Order my details and let them arrest me in the name of arresting the Old God Sect."

"Arrest him? Then start another riot in Clovis City, and by the way, give you the opportunity to spread... false news about the death of Carlos II?"

Anne Herred, who hesitated for a moment, snorted coldly: "There is no need to test me with such low-level methods, my lieutenant general; as long as you do not cross the bottom line, as a Dragon Knight Herred bloodline, I will never be the first to test you. A broken promise.”

"But... if you let Nicholas, your king, hurt even half a hair, I swear..." The Queen Mother's voice became cold: "In the name of the Ring of Order, even if the cost is that the Osteria family will be wiped out. I will also make you pay a price that will make you regret your life."

"Remember, this is not a threat, but a promise, a promise made by a dragon knight blood descendant!"

"...Understood." Anson bowed slightly, but did not lower his head: "Since it is His Majesty's promise, of course I will not have the slightest doubt."

He didn't care about these, because they were just talk - from the moment he stepped into this hall, there was no longer any controversy.

It is impossible for Anne Herred to understand that she has no better choice in the current situation; the so-called anger and the so-called generosity are just temporary mood swings plus acting; even if she really wants to argue with reason, she even uses Using your own life as a hostage to threaten the National Assembly and the protest crowd outside will only make the situation even more uncontrollable.

Her real purpose, or trap, is actually this throne hall.

This place was empty, with no other person except her, especially the throne room itself that was supposed to be here.

"boom--!"

There was a heavy knock on the door, and the panicked royal guards rushed into the hall as if no one else was around. They ignored Ansen and rushed directly to the throne: "Your Majesty, the situation..."

"Be bold!"

Anne Herred, whose expression suddenly changed, was obviously aware of something, but she still tried hard to maintain her usual dignity: "Didn't I give an order that no one is allowed to come in before my negotiation with the Lieutenant General is over? As a member of the royal bodyguard, you actually openly disobeyed orders?"

"No. No, Your Majesty...I..." The royal guard was incoherent, and turned to look at Ansen with panicked eyes, hopefully to the Queen Mother: "Something happened!"

"That's not the reason for your disobedience!"

Glancing at Anson Bach, who was still expressionless, Anne Herrider still forced herself to remain calm: "Get out of here right now, otherwise..."

Before he finished speaking, bursts of cheers echoed across the sky from outside the gate.

The Queen Mother finally changed her expression and vaguely guessed something: "Could it be..."

"Yes, Your Majesty." The expression of the royal guard was extremely ugly:

"Your Majesty Nicholas... is among the people protesting outside the city!"

I feel a little more comfortable, and I finally don’t wake up from the pain in the middle of the night, but it’s still uncomfortable...