I will be crowned king

On a remote hill outside the White Tower City, Earl Brand and Ambassador Mattias, who were protected by a small group of elven infantry, dismounted in front of the agreed place and met the Archduke Thun and Anson Bach who were already waiting here. Confrontation in pairs.

The reason why Grand Duke Thun chose the meeting place here, apart from the distance from the battlefield, is because from this hill, you can have a panoramic view of the White Tower City Fortress surrounded by the army in the distance.

Standing on the raised hillside, the four of them could clearly see that an army of more than 10,000 people had surrounded Baita City on three sides. The densely packed military camps, trenches, and long and deep positions prepared for the attack were entangled like iron chains. The surrounding villages, towns, mills, towers, fields... have all been planted with the royal flags of François and Clovis.

The once lively country fairs, farmhouse taverns, barns... were reduced to ruins in raging fires; the rich and prosperous Earl of White Tower City, and the home of the Yser elves south of the Dawn Mountains, were turning into scorched earth.

Looking at the horrifying scene, the dull Earl Brand remained silent; when he decided to raise an army to rebel, he was already mentally prepared for all this.

Ambassador Matias, on the other hand, looked horrified. Although he could clearly see the siege positions outside from the wall of White Tower City, only from here could he understand how disparate the strength of the two sides was.

"Have you seen enough?"

The cold-faced Grand Duke Thun was the first to break the silence and glared at the two people opposite him: "Just start when you've seen enough. I don't have as much time as you!"

Earl Brand looked back slowly without saying a word, but Mattias, who looked pale, snorted coldly and pretended to be disdainful.

"Since you are willing to come, it proves that there is still room for discussion." Claude Francois said coldly:

"Thern Brand, I can forgive you for your betrayal, and I can also forgive Ambassador Mattias for your meddling in Thun's internal affairs; as long as you are willing to open the city and surrender, everything will be fine..."

"forgive?"

The unsmiling Count Brand suddenly interrupted and looked at his master with a serious look: "No matter what, the word forgiveness should not come out of your mouth... Grand Duke Francois."

"As one of your direct vassals and an Iser Elf, I actually learned about such a major decision to sever the alliance with the Iser Elf Kingdom from an escaped Iser Ambassador."

"You not only betrayed the covenant between Thun and the Yser elves, but also betrayed the trust between the lord and the vassals; please forgive me, your responsibility now is not to forgive, but to express your gratitude to the people of White Tower City. Subjects, please explain why all this is happening!”

"Are you lecturing me?" A fierce light flashed in the corner of Grand Duke Thun's eyes:

"You are just a vassal, teaching me how to do things?!"

"Don't dare!"

Earl Brand took a step forward, his pupils burning with fire:

"But we are living, proud elves of Yser; we are not abandoned children who can be discarded after use without even asking!"

"What do you want?!" Claude Francois glared.

"Just one." Earl Brand said solemnly:

"The Yser elves in White Tower City are unwilling to fight alongside the Clovis, let alone be enemies of the mother country!"

"It's not your turn to decide!" Claude Francois also took a step forward.

Earl Brand showed no sign of weakness: "Then we will use actions to seek justice!"

The two people facing each other had fierce eyes, and the atmosphere was instantly tense.

"Let's stop making noise."

Ambassador Matias had to speak after regaining his composure, but his expression was still a little panicked:

"Sir Claude Francois, we are not here to quarrel with you, and we do not want to hear your insincere promises."

The elf ambassador glanced at Anson Bach, who had always remained silent: "This... must be the deputy commander of the Southern Army?"

"He's also my nephew!"

Grand Duke Thun, who snorted coldly, held the hilt of the knife at his waist and took half a step back: "He has brought you news and a very generous condition."

Looking at the three pairs of eyes that instantly focused on him, the expressionless Anson took out a piece of dirty red cloth from his waist and announced in a very plain tone:

"Eagle Point City has fallen."

"What?!"

Earl Brand and Ambassador Mattias were shocked at the same time.

"That's nonsense!" The astonished elf ambassador reacted instantly. With his pupils shrinking suddenly, he pointed at Anson and shouted angrily:

"Eagle Point City is one of the strongest fortresses in Yser, second only to the Royal Court of Yser! Not only is it indestructible, but there is also a fortress defense line built on the surrounding mountains and terrain; even with twenty times the strength, It’s impossible to do it in just a few days…”

The words stopped abruptly.

Anson, who remained silent, opened the "red cloth" in his hand.

It was a bloody swallow-tail flag covered with dust and scorch marks.

The wide-eyed Ambassador Matthias' breathing suddenly became rapid. He pointed at the swallow-tailed flag with trembling fingers and wanted to refute, but his voice was all blocked in his throat.

Claude Francois smiled disdainfully.

On the other hand, Earl Brand was very calm and stared at the swallow-tailed flag thoughtfully.

"In addition, our army also defeated the Guards Corps who tried to seize the city under Eagle Point City." Anson continued, making the Elf Ambassador's face paler:

"Louis Bernard, the commander of the Guards Corps, hastily launched a general attack. Forty thousand Yser elf soldiers wearing gold and red uniforms were defeated across the board, and at least eight thousand were killed. Now they have withdrawn to the east of the Eagle Point Pass, trying to block the passage to Yser. The road to Seer.”

"Two-thirds of the entire Eagle Point Pass is already controlled by Clovis; a steady stream of supplies and recruits are also coming from the rear."

Having said this, Anson paused deliberately and stared at the elf ambassador and Earl Brand with different expressions: "The reason why I want to tell you this information is very simple - because the situation of this war has already changed with it. It was so different in the beginning.”

"Soon! Clovis will launch a full-scale attack to make the Ysel elves pay for their actions in the royal capital of Clovis; maybe Clovis's royal flag will be in the near future, and the Ysel royal court's The banner of Clovis will be flown over the city gates; perhaps this ancient elven kingdom can hold off Clovis's steel chariots and stop the battle at its borders."

"But no matter which one, Eagle Point City is already in Clovis' possession; without this transportation hub, Yser will no longer be able to exert influence on the Seven Cities Alliance, let alone support White Tower City. Mobilize the army to climb over the Morning Ice Peak!"

The pale-faced elf ambassador stared at Anson. He wanted to refute, but he couldn't.

If you say the other person is full of nonsense, what evidence do you have?

If Eagle Point City had not fallen, how did the other party appear here?

If the Guards Corps had not been defeated and Thun was completely exposed to Clovis's troops, how could Archduke Claude Francois abandon his allies for many years and blatantly defect to the Kingdom of Clovis?

No matter how hard you refuse to believe that Eagle Point City would fall so quickly, or that the Guards Corps could be defeated so easily... How do you explain the presence of the dignified deputy commander of the Southern Legion with his troops on the land of Thun? !

The bloody reality was before his eyes. Ambassador Matias wanted to speak several times, but in the end he hesitated.

"So, on behalf of the 40,000 soldiers of the Southern Legion, I give you two an offer you cannot refuse." Anson's face suddenly turned cold:

"Submit your weapons and castles and give up resistance. The elves in White Tower City can choose to stay and become subjects of Thun or return to Yser; those who wish to return to their homeland can leave in batches under the supervision of the knights of Thun. .”

"Ambassador Mattias, we can also let you leave and return to Iser to convey this matter and see if we can hand over at a border acceptable to both parties; Earl Than Brand, you and your family They must be temporarily detained in Jinshi City as a hostage for both parties to abide by their commitments."

"This is the limit of what Clovis and Thun can accept. If you agree, please surrender before White Tower City is captured tomorrow; if you don't agree..."

"Then I will crush the White Tower City!"

The fierce-looking Grand Duke Thun said categorically: "No one will be left alive!"

Ansen said no more and looked at the two people opposite him quietly.

Count Brand and Ambassador Mattias, who had different expressions, looked at each other and seemed to want to say something, but they could not speak directly in front of the two people opposite.

The next second, when the elf ambassador finally couldn't hold back and wanted to speak, the corner of his eye accidentally glanced at the saber on Anson's waist.

The bright silver hilt looks quite gorgeous, and the guard is covered with Iser-style embossed patterns. The handle is in the shape of a horse that perfectly fits the palm of the hand. There is also a large ruby ​​inlaid at the end of the handle. The smooth cut surface is engraved with the pattern of the Circle of Order.

Ambassador Matthias's eyes changed.

In a tense atmosphere, the two of them were waiting for a reply, but the other two had their own thoughts.

No one spoke.

The silence lasted for several minutes. Grand Duke Thun seemed a little impatient. He suddenly took a step forward, stared at the still hesitating Count Brand and said in a deep voice:

"Can we talk alone?"

Count Brand, who looked stunned, looked at the gloomy Claude Francois in surprise, and seemed not to react immediately.

He looked back at the elf ambassador beside him, with a bit of questioning in his eyes; but Ambassador Matias' expression was in a daze, and he just nodded in a panic.

So Earl Brand had no choice but to agree.

When the Grand Duke of Thun and Earl Brand walked away, the excited Ambassador Mattias immediately stepped forward and stared at Anson eagerly:

"Where is he?!"

"Sorry." Anson said with an innocent look on his face.

"who is he?"

"Don't act stupid!"

Ambassador Matias, who had an ugly face, gritted his teeth and pointed at the handle of the knife at Anson's waist: "Don't think that I don't know what you and Grand Duke Thun are planning. I am a noble pure-blood noble."

"Tell me, do you have Bulle Matias in your hands?!"

The corners of Anson's mouth raised slightly.

"Buller Matias, he is in the dungeon of Eagle Point City now." Anson, who spoke slowly, suddenly said "Pfft!" and couldn't help laughing:

"Speaking of which, we have to thank him for being able to capture Eagle Point City so quickly."

"What?" Ambassador Matias frowned.

"It's nothing." Anson's eyes moved slightly. At this time, the less he said, the better:

"His Excellency Buller Mattias is my prisoner, so if I come forward, I can convince the commander of the Southern Legion to let him leave, and even let him leave with some of the prisoners in Eagle Point City, and Iser is not needed Or the Matias family pays any ransom; but..."

Anson stopped speaking suddenly and looked at him meaningfully.

Ambassador Matthias's expression became even more ugly.

"I, I can't...betray Israel just for a family member." He hesitated with twinkling eyes:

"What's more, what else can I do now? You Clovis people have even captured Eagle Point City; even if Earl Brand refuses to surrender, a mere White Tower City can only hold on..."

"No, no, no... you misunderstood." Anson interrupted him with a smile:

"I'm not blackmailing you - on the contrary, I want to use this opportunity to cooperate with you."

"cooperate?"

"That's right." Anson, who had suppressed his smile, stepped forward and whispered in a voice that only two people could hear:

"For our common goal, for...the big plan!"

Um? !

The elf ambassador, who could no longer restrain his shock, blurted out: "Are you the same..."

"if not?!"

Anson quickly interrupted him and looked into Ambassador Mattias's eyes with his cold eyes:

"Who do you think persuaded Grand Duke Thun not to reveal what you did in Golden Stone City? Why do you think I rushed here in such a hurry instead of staying in Eagle Point City to prepare a plan to invade Yser?! "

"As a believer in the 'True God', do you think that what happened in Yser...is really only known to the Yser elves?"

Anson turned the handle of the knife over at his waist, and the ring of order engraved on the ruby ​​on the handle turned into the "original ring".

"You...you mean..."

"This war between Clovis and Iser is not only about the fate of the two kingdoms... but also whether our 'big plan' can be carried out smoothly."

"Your Excellency Matias, I guess your life and death is not only about yourself, but also about the family behind you, and...whether those like-minded companions can complete the mission they have been waiting for for too long."

"As a Clovisian who shares your mind, I wish to work with you."

The stunned Ambassador Matias stared at Anson blankly. Things turned around so quickly that he couldn't think about it.

"Then how can I trust you?" The elf ambassador finally came to his senses, also lowered his voice, and said coldly to Ansen, who was looking at him:

"How do I know this is not a trap? The commander of the Southern Army, your immediate superior, Ludwig Franz, is the eldest son of Archbishop Clovis!"

Faced with Ambassador Matias's doubts, Anson smiled calmly, took out a sapphire ring from his arms, and placed the Ring of Order engraved on the gem in front of him:

"The Rune family of Lund Manor would like to extend its most sincere greetings to the Council of the Thirteenth Iser!"

Today’s Kongkong also worked hard to update on time (**)!