In the Name of the Queen

The secret meeting between Roland and Menet lasted for a long time.

Two foxes, an old one and a young one, were chatting and laughing, inadvertently testing and exchanging benefits.

Menet was originally not qualified to sit down and discuss business on an equal footing with Roland and the three major countries behind him, but he had new leverage.

As the "loyal dog" developed by Queen Sissi, his jump reflex is of great significance.

As a subordinate of Queen Sissi, he has a very deep understanding of Queen Sissi herself. Incidentally, he also has a very deep understanding of succubi and other dark descendants.

Although Roland was skeptical about the old guy's sincerity, he still accepted the cooperation.

The appearance of four prophetic poems made him feel the crisis.

The first appearance of war machinery made humans except Roland finally realize the backwardness of technology.

A few soldiers can destroy a human fortress. How to deal with the emergence of elite and leader-level war machines?

The war machines that use petrochemical energy are permanently dormant, and the machines that use electric power wake up one after another. What if the Alemanni Empire controls higher-level technology?

Such as a war machine with a miniature nuclear reactor.

Others may not know the future technology tree, but Roland knows the general direction.

Can the human flesh and blood of the Seventh Age be able to stop these war monsters?

The emergence of Darkin challenges the uniqueness of the Extraordinary.

According to the old guy Menet, dark descendants are just a general term, and their internal ethnic divisions are very complicated. There are branches that follow the path of extraordinary beings to stardom, and there are also strong people who are good at magic and martial arts.

Darkin's technology is very backward, but their personal combat power exceeds that of humans.

Roland was skeptical about this.

Humans have defeated dragons and given birth to an extraordinary race of gods.

There is a huge gap between the upper and lower limits of human beings. Weak force and strong force coexist, and the upper limit is extremely high.

The dark descendants are so powerful, how many people have become gods?

The dark side where the dark descendants exist relies on the material plane and is part of the plane of Theia.

If they were really that awesome, how could they become affiliates? Rather than the material plane relying on the dark side to exist?

Roland didn't ask about these words, but he believed that the old fox also knew.

Otherwise, Menet would not have come to him to cooperate, but would have followed the dark descendant king all the way to the dark side.

To see a person's true attitude, don't look at what he says, but how he does it.

Roland couldn't understand the old guy's real purpose for a while, so he tried to think of ways to stabilize him.

His reason was simple. This matter was of great importance and he had to discuss it with Sophia and others.

Menette recognized Rowland's reasoning, but he set a deadline.

Three days.

It's normal for him to be so anxious. Betrayal of a Darkin is no small matter.

If he really wanted to bring order to things, Roland had to keep him safe.

If he was a puppet controlled by the Dark One, Roland could play with him quietly.

Roland didn't wait long. Sylph and others came back the next day.

Menet was invited to come for discussion again, but Sylph just stared at him for a few times and almost vomited.

After some impatient excuses to end the meeting in a hurry, Sif suppressed her nausea and took several deep breaths to stabilize her mood.

"This is a real scumbag. The good qualities of human beings are nowhere to be seen in him, but the despicableness of human beings is fully displayed in him."

"He is greedy by nature, acts despicably, is dissolute and immoral, and has no bottom line in his actions."

Sif paused suddenly and said softly: "Compared to him, you are as perfect as a saint."

"But he is indeed not willing to be the Darkling's lackey. There is no problem with that."

Roland let out a long breath and felt that Sif's eyes stayed on him for a long time, so he simply told what happened between him and Alina openly.

"Honey, I met Alina."

"It doesn't matter. I completely agree. She is also an emperor after all. I will hold the wedding with her."

Sif breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile.

She was having a fierce battle in her heart just now, whether to use insight or not.

She really didn't want to use insight on Roland, and it was better to be confused about some things.

Roland's frankness made some of the dissatisfaction in her heart disappear.

Before the Battle of White Mountain, she promised to accept Alina and Lisa, but she had to wait until the Battle of White Mountain was over.

Roland abides by the agreement, and the time of the Sixth Era belongs entirely to her.

This is enough.

When embarking on the road to stardom, there will be less and less time left for family. However, the road to stardom chosen by Roland cannot be practiced in seclusion and must be walked in the mortal world.

When she restarts the Elf Secret Realm, she will stay in the Secret Realm for a long time, and the time she spends with Roland will gradually decrease.

It's always a good thing to have more women taking care of Roland.

Sif looked at Roland with a smile and said softly: "Although I am one year younger than Alina, I know you first after all, so I will prepare a generous gift for Alina."

"The gift is no longer needed. She refused to marry me."

Thinking of Alina's reasons, Roland still felt regretful.

It was indeed a bit disappointing not to see the bride Alina wearing a traditional golden kite dress.

Sif was stunned and suddenly blushed.

This Alina is too ignorant.

I finally figured it out and was willing to share it with another woman, but this guy ended up being pretentious?

Sif hummed angrily: "Why, do you want me to go find her to discuss it?"

"You misunderstood, she just doesn't want to be bound by marriage."

Roland made up a romantic reason for Alina, "You know, Golden Kite women like romance, and so does Alina. She doesn't want to be bound by marriage."

"So she chose to be your lover?"

Sif was stunned for a few seconds, vaguely understanding Alina's thoughts.

She didn't want to be bound by marriage, she just didn't want to be second.

In addition, there were political considerations.

Sif smiled and shook her head, "Roland, you don't understand women. She is a lover in name, but in fact she is still your wife. She can be willful, and I can't be rude."

Roland never understood women, and this time was no exception.

He knew not to continue the topic.

Sif is no longer the simple and irritable noble girl of the past. She has her own sense of propriety.

Roland quickly brought out Menette as a shield.

"Dear, I want to sneak into Tyrol to explore the truth of the Dark Ethnic Group."

"I'll go with you!" Sif said without hesitation.

"We disappeared together for a long time, and everyone knows that there is a problem." Roland shook his head and refused.

Although Roland refused, Sif was not angry. She also knew that what Roland said was right.

They disappeared for a long time, and the whole family of Queen Sissi died strangely. The forces behind her would definitely be alert.

Not many people can go, and she can't be the one.

Sif was a little worried. After thinking about it, she said in a deep voice: "Let Christine accompany you. She has the power of the goddess, and her hard power is not inferior to yours. In addition, the light restrains the dark, and her combat power can be fully exerted, and she is even less likely to compromise with the dark descendants."

"If you don't accept it, then don't go." This is Sif's bottom line.

Roland saluted Sif with an exaggerated gesture, "Yes!"

"You go to Christine, I won't go." Christine has a close relationship with Roland, but she has a mediocre relationship with others. Sif naturally won't go to make trouble for herself.

Not long after Roland left his residence, Sif also left the mansion, crossed Friendship Street, and walked towards a mansion in the eastern part of the city.

The person she was looking for was Sophia.

When the maid informed Sophia, Sophia was stunned for a few seconds before she reacted.

She thought for a moment and chose to meet Sif in the small study in the backyard.

The front yard of the noble mansion is open to the outside world, where friends are received and official business is handled. Most of the servants also live in the front yard.

The backyard is generally where the nobles themselves and their families live.

The servants who can serve in the backyard are often loyal servants who have followed the family for several generations.

No matter how good the relationship is, they are still outsiders when they are received in the front yard.

No matter how bad the relationship is, they are still family members when they are received in the backyard.

Considering that Roland has been working hard these days, Sophia really can't put Sif in the front yard.

But it's a bit awkward to meet in the small restaurant in the backyard, after all, they were enemies a few months ago.

So she chose the small study.

The front door of this study leads to the front yard, and the back door leads to the backyard. It can be considered as the front yard, or it can be considered as the backyard where the family lives.

She has received aristocratic elite education since she was a child and is very familiar with social etiquette and interpersonal relationships.

Although she cared less and less about these things after becoming the strongest person in the world, some things were engraved in her bones and could not be forgotten.

Sif could understand Sophia's choice.

She was a little surprised.

She was not surprised by Sophia's choice, but she was surprised that Sophia actually considered the details seriously.

Whether it was choosing the front yard indifferently or placing it in the backyard without caring, it was in line with Sophia's domineering style, but it was a bit strange to think seriously about the reception etiquette.

Sif sat down at the desk in the small study without a sound.

Her eyes fell on the book on the table.

"On Light".

"Is this the last work of the goddess of light before she left?" Sif asked tentatively.

"Yes, it was written by Tia."

Sophia sat down with a smile, and was about to summon the servants. Suddenly, she thought that there was no need to let the servants get close to such a confidential conversation, so she took out a bottle of wine from the table and put it down casually.

"If you want to drink, pour it yourself." Her expression returned to coldness, but there was less frost between her eyebrows.

Sif was not polite to her. She took off the cork lightly, poured a glass of wine, shook the glass, and carefully admired the action of shaking the wine.

Rough people drink wine and drink it all at once, while elegant people drink wine with particular care from pouring, sobering up to tasting.

Sif was once the last queen of the elves and the most beautiful woman in the world. Her manners were naturally extremely elegant.

Originally, it was just a polite remark, but Sif actually tasted the wine slowly. Sophia couldn't help but frown slightly.

But she didn't interrupt.

This is not a battlefield. The rules of the battlefield can only be slightly retreated.

Sophia thought seriously about the royal etiquette in her mind, and said softly:

"Should I call you Ms. Sylph or Mrs. Roland?"

Sylph corrected seriously: "The correct name is Mrs. York, of course you can call it whatever you want."

"Okay, Mrs. York, I know your time is very valuable, and so is mine. You can just say it directly if you have anything to say. But I have said in advance that Roland can work for everyone in Val City for half a year every year, and he must go to my place for the other half of the year. This is my biggest concession."

Sophia stared at Sylph vigilantly.

According to the agreement, Roland originally only had half a month of vacation every year, but now it is almost half a year. She has made a huge concession.

Sylph smiled and said: "Ms. Sophia, thank you for your tolerance. Don't worry, I am not an idiot who will push for more."

"What I want to say is that the leader of the Dark Evil has turned against us."

She told the story of Menette's betrayal in detail.

Sophia's face was slightly stern, and she probably knew what Sif wanted to say.

She hesitated a little.

Now was the critical moment for her to re-plan her star path. She didn't intend to act rashly, but Sif had already spoken, and it was a bit unreasonable to refuse outright.

Sophia picked up the empty wine glass in front of her, and the wine glass touched her lips in a trance, and the empty wine glass gave off a cold feeling.

She was slightly stunned, and her peripheral vision caught a glimpse of the empty glass.

Silence, the air seemed to solidify.

Sif didn't dare to breathe, she didn't know what Sophia was thinking, but she knew that Sophia's mental state was not right.

At this time, anything she said would be wrong, and it might anger this moody ice woman.

Although she no longer took the path of winter, her cold personality did not change.

Sophia stared at the empty glass, and countless past events came to her mind.

Perhaps because she had lost most of her strength, her personality was somewhat weak recently.

A bit like her in the Pruden Kingdom.

Simple and dreamy, weak and unable to control her fate.

Just as Sif was thinking about whether to say something, Sophia finally figured it out in a flash.

Since you have made a choice, don't hesitate.

Destruction is the end of life, but also the beginning of life.

Without destruction, how can there be a new life?

She clenched the cup in her hand and smashed it hard, breaking it into a pile of slag on the ground.

If you can't even put down a cup, what else can you put down?

Sophia smashed the cup to gain enlightenment, and no longer had any doubts about the future.

She felt comfortable with the fall, but Sif was shocked.

Sif subconsciously clenched the smoke bomb in her hand and almost ran away.

But after evaluating the difference in strength between the two sides, she finally gave up using force.

Footsteps were heard outside the corridor.

But Sif didn't panic. The footsteps were obviously from a maid, not a swordsman.

She didn't even sense Sophia's murderous intent.

On the contrary, Sophia was in a good mood and was particularly happy.

Sif laughed and teased: "Sophia, how many swordsmen are there outside?"

Sophia did not respond to her ridicule, but said calmly: "I will go with Roland to dismantle the tentacles of the Light and Dark Elves together."

Sif felt a headache.

This was indeed an answer in line with Sophia's style. Try not to talk nonsense about things that can be solved by force.

But force is not needed at this time.

She quickly shook her head and said: "With an insider leading the way, Roland will definitely see something. Your invincible force is the ultimate trump card, not a charging pawn."

Although Sif refused, she spoke nicely, and Sophia reluctantly accepted it.

Seeing Sophia frowning slightly, Sif was afraid that she would have some strange ideas again, so she quickly put forward her own ideas.

"Let Roland do the dirty work, you just need to watch from a distance and provide protection."

Sophia frowned even tighter.

She didn't like this sneaky approach, but as Sif said, she didn't need to be responsible for the specific matters, so she really had no reason to object.

"Okay."

Sophia's voice gradually became cold, and Sif knew she was driving her away, so she quickly got up and said goodbye.

If she didn't need help, she wouldn't want to come to this damn place at all.

Sif silently complained in her heart, did Sophia really say goodbye to the winter star? Why is the room still so cold.

Idiots who don't want to light the fireplace in spring should be tortured by arthritis when they get old!

Just as Sif and Sophia were discussing, Roland found Christine.

The priest at the door enthusiastically invited Roland into the Cathedral of Light and pointed him to Christine's prayer room.

"The Pope always prays there, and she said you don't need to report your arrival."

Watching Roland leave, the priest's eyes were full of envy.

He had a clear understanding of Roland's identity, and although he envied him, he was not jealous.

Roland was a knight of light and the most trusted person of the Pope. In terms of power, he should be above the second person in the open court of the God of Light.

He is the Pope's confidant.

In the prayer room, Christine was kneeling on the mat, with her hands crossed in front of her chest, praying devoutly.

Roland walked in, and she did not stop praying, but just signaled Roland with her eyes to pray beside her.

Christine was singing and praying once a week. This pious ritual could not be interrupted. It was a great honor to accompany the Pope to open his heart to the goddess at this time.

If it were other believers, they would definitely be excited, but Roland couldn't do it.

It's not impossible for him to kneel down to the goddess of light, but he was a little irritated.

Thinking of what Christine had said before, asking him to pray more often, Roland was a little embarrassed.

Although he agreed verbally, it was his first time.

Since he was here, let's pray.

Roland bent his knees slightly, and when he was about to imitate Christine, he suddenly had an idea and turned his body to Christine.

It is of course possible to pray directly to the goddess, but humble believers have another choice, praying to higher-level clergy and having them convey it on their behalf.

As the status gap between high-ranking clergy and ordinary believers grows, the second way of praying has become more and more popular in recent years.

Roland turned to Christine tactfully and touched the ground with one knee.

This posture is more like a vassal expressing his loyalty to his master.

He is also a high-ranking clergyman of the Court of Light and has a territory in the Holy City. He can be regarded as a vassal of Christine.

Similarly, Christine also has a dukedom in Sussex.

Roland is the vice emperor of the empire and Christine's master.

In Christine's eyes, he is a knight of light equivalent to a cardinal, and has a diocese.

Legally, they are vassals and monarchs of each other.

Kneeling on one knee to her is not impolite.

The corners of his lips slightly raised, Roland was in a good mood, and even his voice when singing along with the hymns unconsciously increased a few notes.

It would have been better if he didn't speak, but once he spoke, Christine, who was originally frowning and unhappy, couldn't hold it back.

She turned around and signaled Roland to shut up with her eyes.

The two of them knelt face to face, one knee touching the ground, their bodies stiff.

The posture was standard, expressing the mutual loyalty between the monarch and the minister.

But Roland vaguely felt that this posture was awkward.

Fortunately, the prayer ceremony was coming to an end, and the awkward mood soon ended with Christine's gradually high-pitched and clear voice.

Christine slowly stood up, and her soft eyes fell on Roland.

"Roland, you must come here more often in the future. After you came, the strength of the Holy Blessing has increased significantly. It can be seen that the great Lord of Light is very satisfied with you."

Roland almost rolled his eyes because of choking. He was very sure that the reason for the increase in the Holy Blessing was not him, but he was tactful and did not expose it.

"By the way, what is the matter with you coming to see me?" Christine saw that Roland did not want to answer, and did not insist stubbornly.

"Of course, I need your help, I..."

"Okay."

Christine interrupted Roland's words neatly.

Her eyes were like a baby who had not been stained by the dirt of the world, clear and pure. (End of this chapter)