Your Majesty, the Spectacle Has Missed the Country!

Holy city, Bethlehem.

Camus Blanchard stood on the towering city walls of Bethlehem, silently looking at the Idar army that was already close at hand.

This year's winter seems to be particularly cold. Even in Bethlehem, which has always been as warm as spring, the cardinal archbishop, who has experienced ups and downs, is still wearing thick clothes.

There was no howling cold wind in the morning of this day, but Camus Blanchard still felt a vague chill penetrated into his clothes, making him shiver involuntarily.

The Crusaders were defeated.

Two days ago, when the news first reached Camus Blanchard's ears, his heart was filled with an incredible feeling for the news.

This is fake news! It can only be a piece of fake news!

Even when Callaway Wendel led the remaining soldiers to flee back to the Holy City in panic, Camus Blanchard was still unwilling to admit the defeat of the Crusaders in Boulder City.

Tens of thousands of well-equipped and well-trained Crusader soldiers failed to defend a strategic fortress with strong walls and sufficient food and grass!

What's more important is that the Crusaders stationed in the fortress of the Stone City even captured the imperial capital of St. Lawrence! He is one of the most elite soldiers in the entire Church of Light!

In fact, the red archbishop was not unprepared for the fall of Boulder City.

In his opinion, since the Idar Empire entrenched in the east of the mainland dares to confront the church head-on, and since it dares to take the initiative to launch an offensive against the Church of Light, it may not be unable to achieve amazing results.

But……

The speed of the fall of Boulder City was too fast!

It was so fast that even the red archbishop had not yet reacted, so fast that until this moment, he still felt that all of this was full of absurd and unrealistic illusions...

Let alone the red archbishop who didn't believe it, every bishop in the Holy City was filled with the same doubts, doubts and disbelief when they heard the news.

However……

No matter how incredible they find it all, Idar's army has really arrived on the outskirts of Bethlehem. Even standing on the city tower, they can vaguely see the lines of weapons hidden in Idar's army formation. The cold light of steel.

In the wilderness not far away, the griffon imperial flag of the Idar people was fluttering and shaking in the cold wind.

In the holy city of Bethlehem, Clement V, wearing the papal crown on his head, finally walked up to the city tower under the guard of the Crusaders soldiers and stood in front of the red archbishop.

"His Majesty the Pope..."

Including Cardinal Camus Blanchard, everyone on the city wall bowed their heads and paid their highest respect to His Majesty the Pope.

Since the Idar Air Force air raid on Bethlehem, the pope who has lived in the Lateran Palace all year round finally walked out of the main palace of his residence.

The appearance of Pope Clement V was equivalent to a shot in the arm in the hearts of the bishops and holy sergeants of the Church of Light!

銆愯瘽璇达纴鐩铓嶆湕畇尲恉涔︽涶濂界敤镄刟pp锛屽挭鍜阒呰合纴瀎呮涶鏂 Dress up the umbrella

after all……

Even though the Pope has lived in seclusion for more than ten years, in any case, he is the supreme leader of the Church of Light, the person closest to God and the most likely to listen to God’s instructions!

Therefore, when the Church of Light faces a crisis, only the Pope is the most qualified to decide the future of the church!

Clement V's eyes swept across the crowd, and his slightly narrowed eyes seemed to sparkle with an inexplicable light golden light.

then……

He raised his head, looked at the outskirts of Bethlehem, looked at the unwelcome "visitors" with a serious expression, and asked in a low voice:

"Those...are the Idar troops?"

"yes."

Camus Blanchard nodded and replied with some difficulty: "Almost all the strongest combat forces of the Idar Army have been gathered here, and the leader of these armies is Lieutenant General Sam Layton of the Idar Army. .”

"Perhaps in your eyes, the Idar people are the biggest obstacle currently facing the Church of Light, but... the God of Light will not protect those who are timid and disloyal! The God of Light will send you blessings and enlightenment! God's The brilliance will surely shine on this land!”

At this moment, Clement V's expression suddenly became extremely excited, and even his whole body seemed to start to tremble due to some stimulation!

After a while, Clement V calmed down again and said to Cardinal Camus Blanchard: "I heard someone said...the defeated army in Boulder City has returned?"

Hearing this, the red archbishop nodded, and then with extremely complicated emotions, he called out a name: "Calavi Wendell."

Commander of the Holy Crusaders, Calavi Wendell!

The owner of this name has made great military exploits for the Church of Light and conquered the imperial capital of Saint Lawrence in one fell swoop. However, not long ago, he also caused indelible and huge losses to the Church of Light.

Because the loss of Boulder City meant that the central plains were completely exposed to the Idar army without any defense, which meant that the Idar army could march straight in!

And the Idar people did seize this opportunity!

At a speed that no one expected, they occupied the entire central plains, completely cutting the sphere of influence of the Church of Light into two parts, one in the south and one in the north, that were difficult to communicate with each other.

"exist!"

Hearing this, the legion commander with rich combat experience suddenly stepped forward and quietly prostrated himself in front of Clement V.

"You escaped from Stone City." Clement V did not look at him, but silently explained the facts: "According to the ideas of many bishops, you should die to apologize. But... Camus Blanc Card saved you."

"This is not because of how devout your faith is, nor because you are recognized by the Pope and the God of Light, but because you are the only Crusader general who has faced the Idars head-on."

Clement V waved his hand and drove away the holy soldiers around him, leaving only Cardinal Camus Blanchard standing behind him.

then……

He slowly knelt down, stared seriously into Callaway Wendell's eyes and asked:

"So...as the only Crusader general who has ever faced Idar's army, do you think the Holy City can be defended?"

Hearing this, Callaway Wendell suddenly raised his head, his eyes seemed to flash with an extremely complicated and contradictory look.

After a while, Callaway Wendell finally said:

"For the God of Light and the Church, Karawi Wendell is willing to fight and die!"

As a powerful red archbishop, Camus Blanchard certainly could not be a fool, so...of course he heard the meaning of Karawi Wendell's words.

At least according to Karawi Wendel's understanding of the church, Bethlehem could not stop the Idar people at all, and the church could no longer reverse the decline like a building that was about to collapse.

However, Clement V did not seem to realize the meaning of Callaway Wendell's words. He just nodded calmly, and then said: "The gods will grant you strength and new life."

…

February 1, 540 in the New Calendar, 9:35 am.

Standing in the military formation composed of Idar soldiers and personally visiting the front line, Bruno Stuart, the Idar emperor, finally gave the order to attack to the Idar soldiers participating in this war.

then……

Following Sam Layton's order, the bishops huddled in the Holy City finally saw artillery fire falling from the sky again.

The familiar feeling and experience brought about by the Idar Air Force's air raid on Bethlehem also lingered in their hearts again from this moment on.

Although the artillery fire had not yet fallen, and although they had only just heard the whistling and ringing of the artillery shells across the sky, the bishops and soldiers who had experienced the air attack were already scrambling to the ground as if they were conditioned reflexes.

At this moment, where do they care about dignity and status, where do they care about decency and style?

The last experience of being hit by an air raid was truly unforgettable for the people living in this city!

Even though the Church of Light took the lead in intervening in the empire's disputes, it is indisputable that most of the bishops living deep in the city of Bethlehem have never personally experienced the devastation of war.

so……

They clearly remembered that day, when the blazing fire ignited the buildings in the city, and the rising smoke obscured the sky.

They raced away under the gunfire, panicked as the Idars looked down on them.

But now...

The Idars are back!

And this time, the army arriving in the holy city of Bethlehem is no longer just the Idar air force. Tens of thousands of Idar soldiers have surrounded Bethlehem, and even a fool can see that this war is bound to be more than just a fleeting moment. A fleeting sneak attack.

Although the holy city of Bethlehem is the headquarters of the Church of Light, there are also a large number of civilians living here, and... not all of them have a firm belief that is willing to devote their lives to the God of Light.

so……

Almost at the moment the first cannonball landed in Bethlehem, many civilians living here fell into sudden panic.

It is still the old routine of Idar's army, which prioritizes reducing the enemy's numbers to the greatest extent through fire coverage and indiscriminate bombing, and then completes the opening of the gap through infantry and artillery coordination and a two-in-one combat strategy.

and……

Although the holy city of Bethlehem is the ruling center of the Church of Light, probably no one thought when the city was first established that one day in the future, the city would encounter such a violent attack, so the walls of Bethlehem even Not as strong as Stonehenge.

In addition, Bruno's personal visit to the front line made the Idar soldiers extremely excited. At this time, the Idar army was almost filled with a full set of buffs, and its morale was high and unstoppable.

On the other hand, the Church of Light was suppressed by the artillery fire of the Idar people. Not to mention the civilians living in this city, even the Crusader soldiers stationed here were in a mess.

no way,

Even though Karawi Wendell, who fled back in panic from the Stone City, brought valuable experience to the Crusaders in the city when facing Idar's army, he also emphasized to them over and over again how to find bunkers and wait for opportunities to attack again. However, there is a huge gap between talking on paper and experiencing it in real life!

When the Crusader soldiers actually faced the artillery attack on the city, when the city was finally within the coverage of the artillery fire of the Idars...the Crusader soldiers stationed in the city were still in endless panic. among.

The effective command system collapsed almost instantly. Although the holy city of Bethlehem is the center of the Church of Light, most of the "elite" soldiers stationed in this city are new recruits who have never been on the battlefield.

It may not be a big problem to let them fight the Norman Empire on the novice difficulty level, but once these soldiers face the Idar army on the hell difficulty level, I am afraid that anyone will be afraid of shrinking at the first opportunity.

only……

The lack of soldiers does not mean that Bethlehem is within easy reach, nor does it mean that the city has become the possession of the Idar people.

Although there is no city wall as strong as the Stone City, nor a large number of defenders stationed here, but... this is the core of the Church of Light after all!

then,

After the roar of artillery fire...

Amidst the flickering firelight and thick smoke all over the city, UU Reading www.uｕａｎｎ.net Under the astonished eyes of everyone, a strong pale golden light pillar soared into the sky from the Holy City!

The rippling pale golden ripples pushed away the smoke and dust that enveloped Bethlehem, extinguishing the fire that was still burning.

Almost at this moment, the panic in the city subsided, and the people living in the city raised their heads one after another, staring dumbfounded at the strong beam of light rising into the sky.

what is that?

Could that be... a miracle? !

The devout believers fell to the ground one after another, the Crusader soldiers froze in place, and the bishops who had long forgotten their faith and gods opened their eyes wide...

Even the artillery bombardment of Idar's army gradually subsided quietly.

At this moment, almost the entire southern plain seemed to have fallen into infinite silence.

However, at the same time, the pillar of light rising into the sky did not subside at all. It gradually vibrated in the sky, forming a huge barrier that shrouded the Holy City!

A hazy halo flickered in it, and pale golden light spread in all directions. The Idar people's artillery fire fell on the barrier that shrouded the holy city of Bethlehem, and then exploded.

only……

Except for a few fleeting bright spots, the barrier covering the Holy City has no tendency to break. It seems to be a pure and mysterious energy body, isolating the artillery offensive of the Idar people from the Holy City. outside.

That is at this moment,

Bruno, who had been taking a nap amidst the roar of artillery fire, suddenly opened his eyes.

"O'Brien I..."

Bruno looked towards the direction where the beam of light burst out, and a faint smile appeared on his slightly solemn face: "You are finally willing to come out..."