Iron Powder and Spellcaster

The legendary beast fighting show has come to an end, but the story is not completely over yet.

Sigfrid was lifted high by unknown people and carried all the way to the royal auditorium, and the body of the bison was also dragged along.

The flags waving on the viewing platform meant that the emperor gave Siegfried the honor of cutting off the animal's ears and tail.

Everyone put Siegfried down gently, and Farnan finally found a chance to talk to Siegfried: "How was it?"

Siegfried crossed his left arm and gritted his teeth and replied: "It's okay."

He staggered toward the bull's carcass. This majestic and wild animal was lying quietly on the ground, looking at the sky godlessly, still looking calm.

For some reason, the desire for victory and conquest that was still stirring in Sigfrid's heart just now disappeared.

He felt no joy or pride, no achievement or joy, which was completely different from when he stepped into the palace of Karl XI.

Looking up at the stands, the girl who haunted him was no longer there, and Siegfried suddenly felt absurd and powerless that permeated his whole body.

He looked down at the bull. Without this impulsive and meaningless fight, this majestic and muscular animal might still be able to run, live, and reproduce freely in the wilderness.

Seeing that Siegfried was still reluctant to cut off the animal's ear, Farnan drew his sword and wanted to do it for Siegfried.

"Don't." Siegfried grabbed Fanan.

Farnan saw Sigfrid's struggle. His eyes were full of sympathy, but his attitude could not be refuted: "Something must be done, otherwise it will be an insult to the Castilians... Let me do it."

The flag was raised, but the legendary gladiator still refused to cut off the animal's ears and tail. The surrounding Castilians gradually felt something strange.

Siegfried stood and stared at the bison's carcass: "I should listen to you."

"It's all over, don't think too much." Fanan sighed and reached out to close the bull's eyes: "No matter what you choose, from the moment it is captured, it is destined to die in the arena. With you as your opponent , it can be considered a glorious death.”

"How can there be any honor in a needless death?"

Farnan did not answer, but possessed him and cut off the bull's ears and tail, wrapped it in a cloak and put it into Sigfrid's hands. He took Sigfrid's arm and held the prize high.

Deafening cheers rang out, and the surrounding young nobles swarmed forward, trying to lift the legendary gladiator high and out of the hunting ground according to tradition.

"Back off!" Fannan protected Siegfried: "He is injured! Don't touch him! Earl Harlan needs a medical officer!"

The enthusiastic crowd suddenly parted like a tide and quickly became quiet.

The crisp ringing of horse bells was heard, and an old man led a silver-gray horse towards Siegfried. The Castilian nobles on both sides nodded and saluted.

After searching all over the empire, there were only two people who could make the unruly Castilian nobles give way and pay tribute. One is the emperor, and the other is right in front of Sigfrid at this moment - Baron Hernan, Marshal of the Empire.

"What a wonderful performance, Count Harlan." Marshal Hernan took the initiative to speak, and he did not hesitate to praise him: "Fighting the wild buffalo into the sword, what courage! What skill!"

He smiled and handed the reins in his hand to Siegfried, and said kindly: "Your Excellency, please accept this war horse as my gift."

After hearing Marshal Hernan's words, the Castilian nobles who had been focusing on the marshal finally had the intention to look at the war horses brought by the marshal.

It is truly a priceless horse. It has a tall and slender body, strong limb muscles, straight hoof joints, and a beautiful chest. Even the most severe horse physicist cannot find any fault with it.

The original owner seemed to love this horse very much, because not a single scar could be seen all over the horse's body, not even under the horse's ribs. The original owner must have been reluctant to use spurs and had always relied on his knees and reins to control the horse.

The original owner would be heartbroken to give away such a beloved horse. No, at this moment the original owner of the horse was following behind the horse with a sad face - yes, it was little Hernan.

The Castile nobles who witnessed Marshal Hernan gifting horses to Count Harlan had flashing eyes and different expressions.

Farnan touched Sigfrid's elbow, indicating the latter's acceptance.

The exhausted Sigfrid no longer had the energy to care what the Castilians thought, but even if he did, he didn't care.

"Marshal Hernan." Siegfried braced himself and answered the old Hernan bluntly: "Without the help of little Sir Hernan, this bison would have killed me. This battle is not fair. , please forgive me for not wanting to accept congratulations."

The atmosphere instantly dropped to freezing point, and the smiles of the Castilian nobles became stiff.

Siegfried staggered out of the crowd, holding his left arm. When he passed by little Hernan, he nodded slightly to little Hernan, but other than that, he didn't say a word to anyone else.

Farnan bowed deeply to Marshal Hernan apologetically, and then chased after Sigfrid's back.

…

[Sigfrid's Tent]

Fanan walked into the tent carrying firewood and stuffed it into the furnace one by one to make the fire burn brighter.

Sigfrid sat shirtless on a couch while his injuries were checked by Brother Luke of the Michael Order.

"Earl Harlan." Brother Luke let go of Siegfried's left arm and said helplessly: "If you feel pain, you need to express it so that I can know that you are in pain."

"Oh, it hurts."

Brother Luke turned and gently pinched his left shoulder: "Where is this place?"

"It hurts too."

"How is it?" Fanan asked with concern.

"It's not like a fracture, but there may be a bone crack." The chubby monk Luke wiped the sweat from his forehead: "It's best to ask an imperial doctor to look at bone problems. They are better at treating bone injuries."

"Can't magic work?"

Brother Luke smacked his lips and thought it would be okay to tell these two people: "No, it is easy for people with broken bones to receive magical treatment and appear to be cured, but in a few days the recipient will have a high fever and then... be called."

"Why?" Sigfrid asked.

"Don't ask, don't inquire." Brother Luke spread his hands: "[Don't test your Lord]! Hey, why am I telling you this? I shouldn't be telling you this. Hey, just listen. , Don’t talk nonsense everywhere. Hold on for a while, Earl Harlan, and I’ll go find the royal doctor.”

Brother Luke wrapped a blanket around Siegfried and hurried out of the tent.

After a while, the curtain was opened, and it was not the imperial doctor who walked in, but the Duke of Lothair.

Duke Lothair waved his hand to indicate that Siegfried and Farnan did not need to salute. He first looked around at the furnishings in Siegfried's tent, and then looked at Siegfried.

"How is it?" Duke Lothair asked.

Siegfried managed to answer: "Skin injury."

Duke Lothair looked at Farnan.

"Brother Luke's diagnosis may be a fracture." Fanan bowed slightly and said politely, "The monk just went to ask for the royal doctor."

Duke Lothair stared at Siegfried for a moment, with a faint smile on his lips. Time did not destroy the Duke's handsomeness, but made his temperament more graceful and elegant.

"Count Harlan." Duke Lothair asked slowly: "I don't understand, why do you want to humiliate Marshal Hernan in public?"

"Humiliation?" Siegfried frowned tightly. He was about to have an attack, but suppressed his impulse: "I have never humiliated Marshal Hernan. If I unintentionally caused damage to the marshal's reputation, I can report it to the marshal. Apologize publicly."

Duke Lothair chuckled, not bothering to explain anything to the irritable little stallion.

"Take good care of yourself." After saying that, Duke Lothair walked out of the tent.

Not long after, the curtain was opened again, and this time it was not the imperial doctor who came in either.

Little Hernan burst into the tent angrily and asked, "My father gave you the honor of cutting off the animal's ears and tail, and also gave you the war horse. What else do you want?"

"There must be some misunderstanding." Farnan stood in front of Siegfried: "Your Excellency Little Hernan."

"Misunderstanding? It's too late!" Little Hernan yelled and walked away.

As soon as little Hernan left, the curtain was opened again.

This time, an exaggerated hat stretched into the tent first. Under the hat was Ma Wei's head, with two small eyes blinking. But only the head was left, Mavie's body was still outside the tent.

After confirming that there was no one else in the tent, Ma Wei walked into the tent with confidence. He deftly took out the wine bottle hidden under the cot, took a big sip, and then handed it to Siegfried.

"But it's been a tough time for you." Ma Wei said with a smile: "How about the male protagonist of the next drama be based on you? The handsome man who is desperate for love will surely drive those empty middle-aged ladies in the capital crazy. . If you are willing to play yourself on stage, that would be even more..."

Siegfried rolled his eyes at Mavey and silently took a sip of wine.

"Hey, I know you're not happy. Okay, I respect your personal wishes and won't write it anymore." Ma Wei said distressedly: "What a pity for a good material."

"You should respect the emperor's personal wishes! Mr. Marvey." Farnan took the bottle from Sigfrid and turned to look at Marvey: "Duke Lothair just came over and said that Earl Harlan had been humiliated. Marshal Hernan..."

"I thought you did it on purpose!" Mawei laughed loudly: "Don't you know what 'publicly giving war horses on important occasions' means in Castilian culture?"

Siegfried snorted.

Fanan asked seriously: "Please clarify my doubts."

"Marshal Hernan gave you a war horse, which means that he gave you the opportunity to pursue glory, and you - rejected him in public." Ma Wei put away his smile and sighed with regret: "I estimate that in ten years You can't even touch the marshal's scepter."

…

At the same time, in the emperor's palace tent. The attendants and ladies-in-waiting were all dismissed, leaving only the Emperor, Queen Diana and Prince Richard in the big tent.

"Count Harlan rejected the horse gift from Baron Hernan." The emperor looked at the prince: "Still in front of the Castilians."

Cold sweat broke out on Prince Richard's back. He hurriedly explained: "There must be some misunderstanding, Your Majesty. I'll go find it right now..."

The emperor raised his hand slightly, and Prince Richard shut his mouth instantly.

"The problem is not Count Harlan." The emperor said softly, "the problem is you."

Upon hearing this, Prince Richard immediately knelt down on one knee and bowed his head deeply.

"You want to take over my empire." The emperor looked at his son and said slowly: "But... you can't even control a hound."

These words were so serious that the expressions of the queen on the side changed, and Prince Richard felt as if he had been struck by lightning.

Grievance, unwillingness, resentment...all kinds of emotions hit Prince Richard in turn, and tears burst out of his eyes. After all, even though he was a prince, Richard was just an eighteen-year-old young man.

Richard Lieyang wiped away his tears, stood up straight, saluted, turned and left the palace tent.

As soon as the prince left, the queen, who had been silent until now, couldn't help but defend her son: "He is only eighteen years old!"

"When I was fifteen years old, I was already going to war with the late emperor."

"Richard is different from you."

"It's indeed different." The emperor frowned slightly: "I gave him to you to raise, but he failed to inherit the simple and strong character of the Lieyang family. Instead, he learned the behavior of a crying woman. When he saw me, he Like a mouse seeing a cat. I just don’t like his hypocritical and feminine attitude.”

"Have you never thought that it is precisely because you are too strong that Richard is so afraid of you?" Queen Diana asked angrily: "Ask yourself, have you ever hugged him? Have you ever kissed him? Have you ever Let him play in your lap? Not once! How can he not be afraid of you?!"

"Diana." The emperor looked directly into the queen's eyes: "If he can't handle me, how can he handle the responsibilities and difficulties I face?"

The queen was speechless and couldn't help feeling sad. She suddenly covered her face and cried bitterly.

The emperor sat quietly for a while - even if you are an emperor, you still have family affairs that are difficult to sort out.

"The 'Grand Meeting' of the Senas Alliance will be held in Varn next month." The emperor paused for a moment: "Let Richard attend instead of Count Narzia. Let him walk out of the palace and see the vast world with his own eyes - instead of continuing Be a 'caged bird' next to you."

Count Narzia was the emperor's minister of seal, also in charge of diplomacy, and often went on missions in the emperor's name. Being able to visit the Senas Alliance on behalf of Count Narzia is undoubtedly a great thing for Prince Richard.

Queen Diana was ecstatic at first, and then was filled with anxiety: "The territory of the rebels in the south? Will it be dangerous for Richard to go there? What if the rebels kidnap Richard? Can..."

The brief display of true feelings disappeared, and the emperor stood up indifferently and walked out of the palace tent without saying a word.

(Royal Hunt·End)

…

…

Time: The last day of February in the imperial calendar year 560

[Note: This is half a month after the end of the Chihe tribe hunting and the royal family hunting]

Location: Tiefeng County, Jevaudan, the old garrison

Early in the morning, there was a neat row of people sitting outside Tribune Mason's office. The originally narrow corridor was half taken up in an instant, leaving only enough width for one person to pass.

Don't get me wrong, these people in the corridor are not here to redress their grievances, nor are they here to appeal.

They were official officers of the Republic of Plato, and all of them had served in the Fifth and Sixth Standing Legions of the Alliance. They blocked in front of Richard Mason's door for one thing only - to see Winters Montagne.

It has been more than ten days since the prisoners of war from the expeditionary force arrived in Tiefeng County. The Gevaudan Municipal Government arranged accommodation and food for the prisoners of war, and also sent doctors to examine the prisoners' health, diagnose and prescribe medicine.

They provided food, shelter, and medical treatment, but they did not say how they would arrange the return of prisoners of war, and they did not allow prisoners of war to leave Gévaudan without permission.

How could the officers endure being treated like house arrest?

No, here comes the explanation.

Mason, who came to work early in the morning, turned the corner and saw people sitting neatly in the corridor again. He felt a splitting headache.

Poor Mason has been blocked for a week. The alumni who came to ask for explanations are neither noisy nor fussy. They just want to see Winters and will not leave until he does.

After such a performance art performance for a period of time, rumors began to spread in the city of Gevaudan.

The most widely circulated gossip is that "Tribune Mason owed a romantic debt, and the woman's brother blocked the door to ask for an explanation."

People who spread gossip often ask in a serious tone: "Why don't you block others, but just block Mason Tribune?"

The pink news added a lot of fun to the long and boring winter of Gevaudan citizens, but it made Captain Mason suffer unjust injustice. The most obvious change is that any city councilor with an unmarried woman at home has recently stopped inviting Mason to his home.

"I borrowed it." Mason leaned against the wall and moved sideways toward the door of the office: "Sorry, I borrowed it."

As he approached the door, an arm stretched out to block Mason's path.

The owner of the arm is a thin man with an unshaven beard, who is probably in his early thirties. The school officer uniform on his body is tattered and patched, but the thin man still wears it proudly.

"Good morning, Major Seb." Mason greeted with a smile.

"Captain Mason." The thin man known as Major Seiber asked expressionlessly, "Can Captain Montagne be able to work?"

Mason used the official statement and scratched his head: "Sorry, Major, he is still recovering from illness."

"As far as I know, he has been recuperating for almost three months, right?" Major Seber glanced at Mason coldly: "What? Recuperating to death? Are you secretly mourning?"

Mason couldn't laugh or cry.

Major of the Army of the Republic of Plato [Seb Carrington], nicknamed "Saber".

They say there are only wrong names, not wrong nicknames. Seb Carrington was known to the Plato Army for being "fearless to the point of madness" and earned himself the nickname "The Sharpest Saber".

However, in Mason's opinion, compared to the saber in his hand, the real sharpness of Major Seber should be his mouth.

However, Mason could only criticize a few words. With his good temper, he rarely quarreled with others, so he just smiled wryly to comfort Major Seb: "He'll be fine soon. He'll be fine soon."

"Captain, there are no civilians here, don't use lies that we both know well!" Major Seb stood up suddenly: "Where did Winters Montagne go? When will he come back? "

"How do I know?" Mason said to someone with sorrow in his heart: "I don't know either!"

"Then what do we do? What do the soldiers at the settlement do?"

"This... Winters must make the decision, no one else can make the decision."

"When will Captain Montagne come back?"

"have no idea."

Major Seb stared at Mason for a while, and after confirming that the latter was not lying, he sat down slumped and held his forehead tiredly: "Forget it. The offensive words... I'm sorry."

Mason looked at Major Seb and then at the other alumni in the corridor who had just returned from the wasteland, and couldn't help but feel a lot of sympathy.

When they stepped into the wilderness, they were still army officers with a bright future. When they returned to Plato, not only was the country gone, but they themselves still knew nothing.

"Don't worry, you have food and shelter. Take good care of yourself first." Mason put his hand on Major Seber's shoulder: "I know you want to go home, and I also believe Winters will respect your wishes."

Major Seb raised his forehead and asked, "When will Winters come back?"

Mason was startled: "I don't know."

"Then you go about your business." Major Seber raised his head and resumed his sitting posture: "We will continue to wait."

Mason stood still for a moment, then turned to open the door. His fingertips had already touched the door handle, and he turned around again and proactively suggested: "Actually, there are two people in Tiefeng County who have the power to make decisions, Lieutenant Bader and Lieutenant Cellini, why don't you go visit them? By the way, Colonel Jessica is compiling teaching materials recently and is short of manpower. You can also go and help."

"There are people on Colonel Jessica's side helping. Lieutenant Bader is in Blackwater Town, hundreds of kilometers away from here." Major Seber sneered: "Lieutenant Andrea Cellini is as cunning as a loach, early on He hid at the racecourse outside the city."

"So." Mason tried to digest the other party's remarks: "You blocked my door because..."

"Yes, because we can only block you." Major Seb patted Mason on the shoulder: "You are the only one working in Gevaudan."

Mason resisted, not letting others see the tears in his eyes, and turned around to push open the office door.

"I won't go to work tomorrow." He thought viciously, but he immediately thought: "If I don't go to work either, what will happen to my daily life?"

At this moment, someone outside the corridor shouted excitedly: "Back! Back!"

Mason was excited and asked loudly: "Who is back?"

"The mission!" The messenger said happily: "They are all back!"

Mason was so excited that he didn't care that there were other people present: "Take me quickly!"

…

Meanwhile, at Winters' camp.

"You asked someone to come to me and tell me that there were urgent matters, just to show me this?" Father Carman glared at Winters, suppressed the urge to curse, and asked through gritted teeth, "Do you know that I am doing morning prayers?" ?I thought you killed yourself!"

"This is an urgent matter." Winters replied seriously, and then threw the wooden stick in his hand far away.

The two black figures sitting in front of him disappeared in the mist in an instant.

After a while, a big wolf-like dog ran back happily with a stick in its mouth, and another big wolf-like dog followed dejectedly.

"It's urgent." Kaman clenched his fists: "I want you to walk the dog?"

"No." Winters smiled half-heartedly, stretched out his right hand, and lowered a strange bone whistle: "It means that I have figured out the magical principles of the Hed Beast Whisperer. Do you want to hear it?"

…

[Outside Gevaudan]

"Lieutenant Colonel! Where is Winters?" Mason grabbed Lieutenant Colonel Moritz's shoulder and shouted angrily: "Where are the others? Did you drink too much and leave Winters in the wilderness? Winters! Winters S. Montagne!”

"Stop looking." The sleepy Lieutenant Colonel Moritz yawned: "He's not here."

Mason was about to burst into tears: "Then why did you come back alone?"

"Oh? Oh." Moritz said slowly: "He asked me to send these things back."

After saying that, Lieutenant Colonel Moritz, who was sitting in the carriage, casually lifted up the blanket underneath him.

All the people who came to greet him gasped in unison: gold bars, dark yellow gold bars, were spread out on a whole layer at the bottom of the carriage.

Lieutenant Colonel Qingqing lied on the gold and slept all the way.

Mason rushed forward and spread the blanket again, carefully tucking it in twice, as if he was afraid that the gold bar would catch cold.

"Did you find it?" Mason asked quietly.

"Yeah." Moritz yawned again and fiddled with the arrow: "Found it."

He patted his body and pointed behind him: "Three cars, please count them. There is another car for Winters to take away."

"Ah? That's right!" Mason, immersed in joy, then remembered another crucial question: "Where did Winters go? Does he know how difficult it was for me during this time..."

…

Meanwhile, at Winters' camp.

Just when Winters was about to bargain with Father Carman, Pierre came over and said, "Centurion, Mr. Ed from the Fort Steel Branch of Navarre Trading Company is here and wants to see you and your wife."

"Okay." Winters jumped off the carriage and replied with a smile: "Mr. Ed is here, which means that we have received the 'invitation' to enter the steel castle."

At this moment, a strong wind blew away the mist in the valley.

Paths, pools, hillsides covered with thin snow, and cloud-like flocks of sheep wandering on the hillsides.

Looking along the opening of the valley, you can also see the mountaintops covered with thousands of years of ice in the distance.

After crossing the mountain pass ahead, and then another mountain pass, the steel castle was in full view.

[I’m late, sorry, but this is a big chapter with a word count of 6500+, which is equivalent to paying back yesterday’s leave (laughs)]

[Steel Castle, which has been talked about for half a volume, finally reveals its true face in Lushan! ]

[Mason: Winters bastard! I think you are addicted to being a hands-off shopkeeper! ]

[I also need to explain that I did not delete the chapter of the previous chapter, and I don’t know why the chapter I posted cannot be displayed normally. Could it be that Qidian’s system thinks I’m swiping comments? ? Confused...]

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