I will be crowned king

The footsteps of the two people echoed in the silent and empty corridor of the headquarters, separated by thick walls, and reflected the howling storm outside.

For some reason, Anson always felt that Norton's back looked very nervous, as if he was not walking in a headquarters garrisoned by thousands of soldiers, but in a cave filled with monsters and monsters - of course in a sense this might be close to the truth.

Is it because the messenger who came has a very high status or has a direct affiliation with him? Ansen was vaguely curious.

So far, all the members of the Truth Society who have appeared have almost no connection with each other - soldiers, priests, novelists... they are spread across all walks of life, and at least they don't seem to be divided into superiors and subordinates; they are like a large club, As long as you agree with the philosophy or even have the same hobbies, you can join. The degree of mixture of good and bad is completely different from the "genuine Truth Society" led by Saint Isaac back then.

On the other hand, the power of action displayed by these people and the tightness within the organization are unusually high: it is not difficult to find their shadow in every major event related to the church or the Old God Sect.

This is very magical.

Of course, what is even more miraculous is the messenger; Anson is not surprised that they were able to get in touch with Luther Franz, and even gain trust; but they were able to reach out from the old place in early February when the snow and ice still lingered. When the mainland comes to the new world, this is amazing.

It is normal for Rune to be able to do this, after all, he is an apostle; if it were any blasphemous mage, the magical reaction caused by it would not be discovered, unless all the judges of the church were blind, deaf, and idiots.

And if it's a gifted person... sending a strong person of this strength just to deliver a letter?

If not, is it some kind of special vehicle such as...an armored icebreaker equipped with a steam core?

However, there is no news from the port that a ship has docked. Even if such a "magical" vehicle is not docked at Beluga Port, the lighthouses around the strait can't even detect its shadow, right?

While Anson was still guessing, Norton Crosell, who was walking in front, suddenly stopped; turned around and pointed at the door with a slightly stiff expression:

"He's right there. He's been waiting for you for two or three hours."

Looking in the direction he pointed, Anson did not step forward immediately, but looked at Norton silently.

"He doesn't like me very much." The commander of the Third Infantry Regiment laughed dryly: "Although it was because of him that I joined the Truth Society, it doesn't seem to be his original intention."

Anson nodded slightly and walked towards the little clerk's office without saying anything.

The moment he turned the door handle, he seemed to suddenly remember, and couldn't help but ask: "By the way, I have something to ask."

"Is this messenger... someone I know?"

Before he finished speaking, Norton, who was about to leave, let out a "huh-", and the expression on his face became even stiffer.

Well, so it is indeed someone he knows... Anson knows it well.

He opened the door and walked into the room. There were no lights on in the dark office. There was only a figure sitting on the chair facing the desk with his back to the door. At this time, the little clerk had already gone to bed, and the other person's identity was no longer there. It goes without saying.

Even though he was mentally prepared, the moment he saw the opponent's back clearly, Anson still froze in place - exactly the same expression as Norton Crosell just now.

"Anson Bach, we meet again."

The tall and straight figure of the military officer stood up and looked back, revealing the cold face that Anson was very familiar with: "It has been more than a year since I said goodbye to the Royal Court of Yser."

"Yeah..." Anson murmured, a complex light flashed through his eyes:

"It's been a long time, Lieutenant Colonel Roman."

"It's the colonel."

Ludwig's trusted adjutant, Wild Hunt Knight Roman, had his hands behind his back, and a pair of cold eyes on his emotionless face glanced at Anson Bach's face: "Yes, it has been too long, Brigadier General Anson Bach .”

Anson's expression froze.

"I hope you like this title. After all, not everyone's life is so valuable. You can exchange it for the general's epaulettes from the Privy Council and the royal family." Roman said expressionlessly:

"But for the benefit of the Franz family, you'd better not give up your life so easily."

"Why are you here?"

Anson frowned slightly and closed the door. Lightless darkness enveloped the two figures: "And...are you from the Truth Society?"

"You divided a question into two, are you trying to test it or do you want to give me room for maneuver?"

Roman silently walked to the kerosene lamp next to the desk and said in a calm and solemn voice: "Yes, I am a member of the Society of Truth, and a core member. When I joined the Society of Truth, I was even loyal to Major General Ludwig. Before - even becoming his adjutant was a task given to me by a member of the Truth Society."

"But I think you don't care about these. What you really care about is what method I used to cross the rough sea in the freezing season, from the southern fortress to Moby Dick Harbor; and what I represent behind my back. What exactly do the Truth Society and the Franz family want to achieve?"

The weak light turned on, reflecting Anson's slightly nervous face: "I didn't say that."

"But I just know." With his back to the light of the kerosene lamp, Roman, whose face was full of shadows, stared at Anson who was leaning against the door: "This is also one of the purposes of my coming. We need to let you know, we need to make sure that you are Make the decision you are about to make with full knowledge."

"Why?"

"Because your decisions will directly impact change on two continents and thousands of lives and deaths."

"...No disrespect intended, but I don't think you care about the lives of thousands of people. On the contrary, change may be more important."

"I can hear the sarcasm in your words, but this is a complete mistake." Roman nodded slightly, and the lights behind him made his eyes less cold:

"No matter how good the changes are, they are meaningless if people die; or on the contrary, it is precisely because more people survive that changes must be made to ensure that they can continue to live - such as Clovis City chaos."

"Yeah, like the chaos in Clovis City." Anson didn't hide it and sneered:

"Inciting dozens or millions of people to riot, and then brutally suppressing them - if I remember correctly, you were also one of the suppressive troops, right?"

"A capital that would arouse dozens or millions of people to riot just shows that Clovis has reached a point where he has to make changes; and before real change breaks out, it is necessary to quickly prevent the situation from expanding and avoid meaningless casualties. It’s the kindest thing to do.”

Roman looked at Anson's expression: "I am not Draco Vertes, and I have never expected you to understand our ideals; nor do I think a greedy and ambitious person like you can have any kind of ideals. .”

"But in order to prevent the Holy See from intervening in the secular ambitions and allowing the independent free confederacy to become a colony again, and tens of millions of people losing their lives because of a meaningless war...I am here."

"As for the method, it should be familiar to you now." Roman raised his eyebrows:

"Twisted Realm."

"……Um?"

"The Society of Truth has a very good relationship with a curse magic family. The twisted domain of a certain blasphemous mage can 'distort' the coordinates and move me from the southern fortress to the White Whale Port." Roman explained calmly:

"This distortion is one-way and very restrictive; specifically, I can't use the power of blood now, let alone enter the realm of any conjurer, otherwise it will be torn apart in an instant - until one day I can return. Once the southern fortress enters the area of ​​the profane mage, until the distorted coordinates are released."

Anson's pupils shrank suddenly.

He was not surprised that the truth would know a certain curse magic family - after all, a certain novelist could even contact the Council of the Thirteenth Iser - but he avoided the surveillance of the church and even mastered a spell capable of space teleportation. Magic, that would be terrifying.

"What about Major General Ludwig? Wouldn't he be surprised if his adjutant is missing?"

"No, because he has now left the southern fortress - and was taken away by the judges." Roman said solemnly: "The Holy War organized by the church is expected to have six legions, and he will serve as one of them. The commander of one’s army.”

"As for the Holy See, you don't have to worry. All their energy has been invested in the Holy War. They have no spare time to notice a small change that happened in the south of Clovis; even if it is exposed, it doesn't matter at all. This book It’s a planned risk.”

"Even if the risk is that he will be beaten into the Old Gods and be hunted by both the Judgment Knights and the Tribunal?" Anson couldn't help but ask.

"I said that the Truth Society is an organization with ideals." Roman remained expressionless: "For the sake of goals and ideals, some sacrifices are inevitable. It is okay to sacrifice one's life when necessary, and to betray one's companions."

"And making such a big sacrifice is just so that I can get this letter earlier..." Anson looked seriously at the loyal adjutant beside Ludwig:

"Is my decision that important to you?"

"Believe me, I want to deny this more than you do." Roman narrowed his eyes: "But the fact is that it is indeed that important, Brigadier General Anson Bach."

"To stop the ambitions of the church and the desire of the empire to continue to enslave the colonial people, you need a voice that can unite, organize and arm the entire New World on a practical level; and what is very unfortunate for the people of the New World is that except for you, there seems to be no one for the time being. People can do it.”

"So I don't care at all what you plan to do. Is it to hide behind the scenes to exploit and squeeze the people of the colony to get more money and credit, or to establish yourself as a king in the corner of the world? It's up to you."

"But even for that vulgar ambition, you must stand up, organize enough power to resist the entire world of order, and fight bloody battles with me and the holy war army of the Holy See until the moment the situation is reversed!"

"Then how am I going to fight to the end?" Hearing Roman say this, Anson couldn't help but laugh, and his laugh was very ridiculous:

"The Storm Legion only has a few thousand people. Counting the rest of the military forces in my hands, it is less than 20,000. The entire Free Confederation's army is almost the same number. It is also severely lacking in arms, especially heavy firepower - 40,000 is missing. How can the militiamen with training, guns, and ammunition fight against the Holy See’s army of at least 100,000 people?”

"I don't know." Roman said coldly:

"But I know you already have a plan to deal with it - I happened to overhear the conversation you just had with Louis Bernard."

"happen?"

"If you want this matter not to be discovered, you'd better find a more private place and keep your voice as low as possible."

"Thanks for the reminder, but how do you know that I wasn't deliberately lying to him in order to win the asylum of the Bernard family?"

"Then can I understand that you plan to defect to the Holy See and betray Rune?"

"...You really hate me, right?"

"I can't say I hate it. At most, I feel disgust from the bottom of my heart."

"..."

With a long sigh, Anson sat down at the desk next to him with a helpless expression: "Okay, I'll tell the truth."

"I don't intend to surrender, but I won't resist to the end either - the power of the Holy See is too huge. Even if I hide in the New World, it is impossible to ensure absolute safety with the protection of the Luen family. What's more, I am not just myself. There are thousands of people in the Light Storm Legion, and they hope to live and have a bright future, and I cannot let them die in vain."

"So you hope to reach a compromise with the Holy See." Roman snorted: "If I were you, I wouldn't have such naive ideas."

"……How to say?"

"You don't seem to understand at all. The current situation has reached a life-or-death situation, and there is no room for compromise. Even if you try your best, the Holy See will not let go of the possibility of killing Rune as long as there is still a chance; when He At the moment of death, how could you have any room for compromise?"

Roman took a sudden step forward, suddenly close to his face and stared into Anson's eyes: "At least until now, you have not had a direct conflict with the church; but I have experienced that when the situation requires sacrifice, for a moment Any hesitation will have disastrous consequences, and a series of incidents will lead to the situation being completely out of control."

"I guess... you have probably guessed more than once whether the encounter between yourself and Draco Wilters and the appearance of Lisa August was really a coincidence or there was another reason, right?"

Anson was stunned for a moment, and some thoughts that he had deliberately ignored began to slowly brew with Roman's words.

"But besides that, I guess you may have been curious about another thing - the siege position of Thunder Castle. Who stuffed the barrel of the gun into your throat and shot you to death?" Roman sneered:

"it's me."