After the death of Handien Rabi II, no one knew who would be in control of the kingdom. But Prince Benut clearly had the upper hand. If Princess Sissila was smart, she would have chosen to cooperate with him to protect herself.
But the situation changed too quickly. The Assyrian army suddenly invaded and the Kingdom of Bablon was routed. The six city-states that were ceded to the Kingdom of Bablon were also under the princess's control, including her fiefdom. This was a devastating blow to the kingdom. Although Prince Benut was defeated, he managed to gain control of the kingdom's army during the process of resisting the foreign enemies. He had now become the pillar of the kingdom.
But that was not the end of the disaster. Sinnach arrogantly ordered the Kingdom of Bablon to marry her. With the princess's intelligence, how could she not know what the ambitious emperor was up to and what kind of fate awaited her? As long as she married Sinnach, the Assyrian Empire would definitely support her ascension to the throne.
Once she became the queen of Bablon, she would either be completely under Sinnach's control, or he would force her to hand over the throne. This time, she was really kidnapped, and in such a noble and world-famous way. So she was singing alone.
But her singing was interrupted by footsteps. The supreme mage who had been following her all this while, Peri, came in without announcing his arrival. Princess Sissila turned around and asked, "What's the matter, Peili?"
Peri's appearance hadn't changed much. This fair-skinned man with bright red lips still looked so coquettish. He squinted his slender and long eyes and said, "Your Highness, why is your voice so sad?"
The princess looked at him. There were no tears in her eyes, not even any expression. She replied in a flat tone, "You must understand my situation."
Peri smiled, which made him look even more coquettish, "My beautiful princess, of course I know what you are worried about. I don't think it's a bad thing that Emperor Sinnach wants you to marry him. You will eventually have to marry someone. Which famous hero on the continent is worthy of you? Only the invincible Emperor Sinnach. With your beauty and wisdom, you won't have to worry about not winning the heart of the Assyrian Emperor. If you two get together, you will become the most illustrious monarch on the continent, the most beautiful woman and hero in history! "
Princess Sissila was still expressionless, "Peili, I didn't expect you to be a lobbyist."
Peri shook her head. "Your Highness, I'm thinking for your sake. This concerns not only the fates of countless people, but also your own. The Prime Minister of Assyria, Alpha, has sent a secret letter, promising that as long as you marry the Assyrian Emperor, the Assyrian Empire will fully support you in ascending to the throne. From then on, there will be eternal peace, and both countries will be happy. "
Princess Sissila raised her voice, "Peace?"
Peri lowered her head and said, "Your Highness, please calm down. You and your wife will rule Assyria and Bablon like a family. This is also a way to achieve peace."
Princess Sissila finally showed her anger, "The people of Bablon contributed food and resources, while the Assyrians became the conquerors. Is this your so-called peace? Not to mention that brutal massacre! "
Peri maintained her smile, "If you marry the Assyrian Emperor and become the Queen of Bablon, there will naturally be no more massacres in the kingdom. Your Royal Highness, I have been following you for many years. You have long had the desire to become a Queen, and now is the best time to do so. Because of this failed war, Prince Vonnegut took control of this declining kingdom. Only by relying on the strength of the Assyrian Empire can you ascend to the throne. As for what to do after that, I believe there is still a chance. "
The anger on Princess Sissila's face gradually faded. She asked with an expressionless face, "Are you suggesting that I feign civility with Sinnach and marry him first?"
Peri nodded, "That's not a bad idea. It's the best choice for you and the kingdom."
Princess Sissila waved her hand tiredly, "I understand what you mean. You may leave."
Peri bowed, "Your Highness, please take care of yourself. I will be on guard nearby. If anything happens, I will be there at your beck and call."
After Peri left, Princess Sissila looked at the empty house and couldn't help but wipe away the tears at the corner of her eyes. She looked so pitiful and helpless. She realized that she was being watched. Her private house had been surrounded by detection magic arrays, and the one who was watching her turned out to be Peri, the supreme mage who had been following her and looking forward to her ascension to the throne.
Peri might be trying to protect her, afraid that something bad would happen to her, or there might be other reasons. She knew the methods of this supreme mage. When she planned the "kidnapping case" of the highlanders, the plot to frame Prince Vonnegut was also part of Peri's plan.
Sinnach's desire to control the entire Bablon Kingdom was a disaster for many, but it was also an opportunity for others. A cruel king who wanted to control his great empire needed a group of nobles who understood the kingdom well to exercise his power. Peri followed Princess Sissila for this purpose, and now Sinnach could give it to him.
Peri came to the front yard of the princess's house. There was another person waiting for him in the side hall. It was Cain, whom Amon had taught before. When Cain saw Peri, he stood up and asked, "What's the situation? Has Her Highness made up her mind?"
Peri sighed softly, "Her Highness is still a little worried. But don't worry, I've set up a detection magic formation to keep a close eye on her. I won't give her the chance to make a wrong decision."
Cain's voice trembled, "I want to remind you of another thing. Someone from Prince Vonnegut's side has proposed to assassinate Princess Sissila. The princess would rather kill herself than submit to Sinnach. "
Peri's facial muscles twitched involuntarily, "I can think of someone who might do that. Have you found out who Prince Vonnegut is going to send and when?"
Cain replied, "Prince Vonnegut is still hesitating, but sooner or later, some of his men will lose their patience. I'll inform you as soon as I have any news and help you protect the princess. It's best if you can take the opportunity to eradicate those people. Don't forget the Assyrian Empire's promise to us. Nothing must go wrong. "
Peri said bitterly, "Those people are trying to assassinate Princess Sissila and use her death to make a fuss. But we can also use the fact that Princess Sissila is married to Emperor Sinnach to promote her virtue. She is doing this for the people of Bablon. Naturally, there will be warriors who will follow the princess and protect her. We can also use the hearts of the people to our advantage. "
Cain added, "There will be warriors from the kingdom coming to protect and escort the princess. But you must be careful not to let any assassins sneak in."
"Of course I know that. I've been serving the princess for many years. I know who is trustworthy. They don't think like you. They really want to protect the princess. They believe that the princess is marrying Sinnach for the sake of Bablon. "
"They don't think like you." This made Cain a little embarrassed, but he didn't want to show his dissatisfaction. After a few more words, he hurriedly left the princess's mansion. Perhaps Amon did not expect that Cain, whom he had instructed to obtain a high position in the kingdom, would be bribed by the Assyrian Empire and become Sinnach's helper.
The prime minister of the Assyr Empire, Alpha, had once sent a messenger to promise Cain that if the Assyr Empire gained complete control over the Kingdom of Bablon, Cain, the high priest, would enjoy unprecedented power and status. Alpha made the same promise to Peri.
Cain left Princess Sissila's mansion, crossed half of the city and entered a brothel in Bablon City. His men in disguise were already waiting at the door. He was waiting for someone in a small parlor. Not long after, one of his men reported to him that a guest had arrived. When the door opened, it was Prince Benut's confidant, Gekait, who was also Prince Benut's teacher at the Academy of Magic.
When Amon and Medanzo first met Gekait in Arcade, he was only a sixth-level mage. Now, he was already an eighth-level mage. With the rise of Prince Benut's status, Gekait had also become an important figure in Bablon. This was an era of chaos. There were all kinds of conflicts and opportunities on the continent, but at the same time, it was also an era of great talents. According to a rough calculation, the number of supreme achievers in the last ten years was more than the number in the past few decades. It was as if these hidden geniuses had found a stage to shine and shine in this chaotic world.
Cain lowered his voice as soon as he saw Gekait, "Has His Highness made up his mind?"
Gekait sighed, "Princess Sissila is innocent. There are still many warriors in the kingdom who support her. Under the pressure of the Assyrian Empire, His Majesty the King had no choice but to agree to the marriage. But His Majesty also told Prince Benut to deal with the matter himself. But His Highness still couldn't bear to get rid of this aunt who is younger than him. "
Cain said anxiously, "How can a man of great ambition be so soft-hearted? If Princess Sissila really marries Sinnach, the fate of Prince Benut and the entire kingdom will be buried in her hands. Besides, His Highness knows very well that Princess Sissila tried to frame him. "
Gekait sighed again, "That's what I told His Highness. As far as I know, Princess Sissila tried to frame His Highness more than once. Once, she claimed that she was assassinated and tried to link the mastermind behind the assassination to His Highness. But in the end, it was His Majesty the King who suppressed the matter. "
Cain reminded him, "His Highness might be hesitating because he doesn't want to be accused of assassinating Princess Sissila. But you and I should know how to share the burden of the kingdom."
Gekait nodded, "That's right. That's why I'm here to discuss this matter with you. We'll do it ourselves. When it's done, I'll ask for forgiveness from the King in private."
Cain frowned, "This matter must not be made public. Do you have a plan?"
Gekait nodded again, "I've come up with a complete plan. The first step is to assassinate Princess Sissila, claiming that she killed herself in order to resist the cruel Sinnach. This will ignite the anger and fighting spirit of all the factions in the kingdom. The second step is for His Highness Benut to rise to the throne and rally the hearts of the people.
The third step is to persuade King Hammurabi II to abdicate so that His Highness Benut can ascend to the throne. Only then will the kingdom have a new hope. "
Cain nodded silently. After a while, he said, "If we succeed in the first step, Prince Benut will have no choice but to act according to the plan. But first, we must make sure that nothing goes wrong in the first step. It's not easy to make a move in the capital. The best place to do it is when Princess Sissila is on her way to Assyr. Inform me as soon as you're ready. Remember, don't leak anything. "
Gekait took his leave. Cain sat there staring at his slender fingers, deep in thought. This supreme mage was actually discussing with Peri and Gekait about protecting and assassinating Princess Sissila. It was hard to tell which side he was on. Perhaps he was weighing which side he would get the most out of.
It seemed that Peri's envoy had arrived at Enril. Although the city was in a state of war, Peri had requested to exchange prisoners of war. This was also a signal. Neither side was able to start a large-scale battle at the moment. Otherwise, it would only result in a lose-lose situation. Exchanging prisoners of war was the wisest move.
The document was delivered to Faust. Faust looked at it for a long time without saying anything. He agreed to the request to withdraw from Leng City and wrote a letter in reply to the messenger, confirming the time, place, number of people, and the number of concubines to be exchanged.
According to past practice, exchanging prisoners of war was a signal to end the war. Enril had also responded affirmatively, indicating that this lose-lose war was over. But Faust knew very well that this was only a temporary calm. The real storm was yet to come.
Emperor Sinnach, who had already occupied six city-states of the Kingdom of Bablon, would never be willing to accept the defeat in the Plains of Duc. The small withdrawal of Leng would not stop his lofty ambitions. It was estimated that it would not be long before new orders and a large number of reinforcements arrived. The price of crossing the Syah Plateau to launch an expedition was huge, but the cruel Sinnach did not care about such a price.
Sinnach's strategy was brutal, but it seemed to be very effective. He wanted to recoup the losses of the war from the enemy. The fiercer the resistance of the city, the more tragic the massacre after being conquered. The land would be occupied, the wealth would be plundered, and the people who survived would be enslaved. Faust could already see the scene of corpses strewn across the land. The narrow and winding path through the Syah Plateau and the fertile Plains of Duc would be littered with bones.
The document sent by Peri's envoy was personally written by Goliath. Faust recognized it at a glance and also understood the code words in the document. He knew that Goliath wanted to meet him, and he probably knew what Goliath wanted to talk to him about.
Faust pondered for a few days by himself, and finally decided to take the letter to Samir. If there was one person in this world that the sage could not bear to part with, then it was this Assyrian queen. Faust did not trust Samir as much as he trusted Goliath. He did not know how Samir would view this matter, but he did not want to hide it from her.
Faust frankly told Samir that Goliath wanted to meet him, and he was ready to go. Samir was silent for a long time, staring at Faust with a scrutinizing gaze, as if trying to see through this sage. Finally, he asked: "Are you not afraid that this is a trap?"
Faust shook his head: "I trust Goliath. Since he has already made a promise, he will not take advantage of this opportunity to ambush me. In this world, people are not the same, and Goliath is precisely this kind of person. "
Samir asked again: "I can imagine what he will talk to you about, but why are you telling me? Right now in Enril, no one can restrict your movements or ask about your whereabouts. "
Faust had a moment of impulse to say something, but in the end, he just lowered his head and said: "Look at my heart. I cannot hide it from you. In Enril, my fate is one with yours. No matter what risky decision I make, I must tell you."
Samir withdrew her scrutinizing gaze and looked out the window: "Even if Goliath is trustworthy, there is no guarantee that the others in Leng will not take advantage of this opportunity to make a move. If we lose you, it will be a disaster for Enril and even the Assyrian Empire, so I have decided to go with you. "
Faust hurriedly stood up and waved his hands: "No, no, no, Your Majesty, you must not take this risk. I am telling you this because I want you to know that if something unexpected happens, you can strengthen your defenses. "
Samir smiled faintly: "Esteemed Sage, if you are not afraid of taking this risk, do you think that I am?"
Faust's face turned red and shook her head: "No, no, no, I do not dare to doubt your courage. It is just that you are the Assyrian Empress, it is not worth it to do this."
Samir suddenly sighed and said in a commanding tone: "Then what else in this world is worth it for me to do? Since you know that I am the Empress, then this is an order! I have decided to go with you, and only to protect your safety. I will not eavesdrop on your conversation with Goliath. You said that you do not want me to take risks, but what else in this world is more dangerous than being in the middle of a battle? I have already appeared on the battlefield, why can't I accompany you to such an appointment? "
Faust took a step back and lowered her head: "That is the order of the Assyrian Emperor. I do not want to see you personally charge into the battlefield. He has a Empress like you, but he does not know how to cherish you. "
Samir gave Faust a meaningful look and changed the topic: "The place where you will meet is in the mountains of the Euphrate Valley. That place is two hundred miles away from both Leng and Enril. It is impossible to mobilize the army deep in the mountains, and if there is any movement in Leng, it will not be able to hide from us. Even if it is an ambush by an expert, we can still escape. It is settled then. Go back and prepare! "
Faust excused himself, but when he reached the door, he asked: "Your Majesty, what do you think of the latest news?"
Samir asked with an expressionless face: "What news?"
Faust bit the bullet and said: "His Majesty Sinnach is going to marry Princess Sissila of the Kingdom of Bablon."
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