Sinnach ordered the construction of two buildings in the city. One was the Shrine of Enril, and the other was the Emperor's Palace. He wanted this city to be his second capital in the new territory. In the mind of this great emperor, in addition to the original capital of Assyria, Niveh, he wanted to build two auxiliary capitals, the other one to be in the Plains of Duc, and he had even thought of the location, which was where the city of Taleng is today.
The Shrine of Enril was easy to build. The original Marduc Shrine in the city would be remodeled. The main building would remain, and the main statue would be replaced with Enril's. However, it was a little troublesome to transform the original mansion into a palace. Sinnach thought that the mansion was too shabby and ordered the nearby buildings to be demolished and rebuilt. What he wanted was a grand and luxurious palace.
The Assyrian Empire mobilized a large number of newly conquered slaves to build Sinnach's palace. The deadline was very tight. Many craftsmen and slaves died of exhaustion in the quarries, and many were cruelly punished for failing to complete the task. The palace was still under construction, but the main hall and Sinnach's residence had already been completed. Sinnach planned to marry Princess Sissila here, and the princess would also live in the palace after the wedding.
Sinnach sent a procession to Bablon to escort the princess, both to escort the princess and to ensure her safety.
At some point, there was a rumor that someone wanted to assassinate Princess Sissila. The assassin might be a fanatic from the Assyrian military, and they wanted to stop Sinnach from marrying the princess and ending the war.
This rumor was very interesting. It was possible that some extremists in the Assyrian military had the idea, but it was the main forces of the Bablon Kingdom who wanted to assassinate Princess Sissila. Since there was such a rumor, the Assyrian Empire naturally had to escort the princess safely to Lys. The Bablon Kingdom also sent a team of guards, and some warriors who worshiped the princess also followed behind the procession.
The procession was rather complicated. In front of the procession was the Assyr Kingdom's guard of honor. In the middle of the procession were the Bablon Kingdom's guards, who were escorting the princess's carriage. Behind the long procession were warriors who were equipped with their own weapons and rations. After leaving Bablon City, they would travel along the west bank of the Lisi River to reach Sinach's palace. It would take them more than half a month to travel, and they would have to camp in many towns along the way.
Although everyone had raised their vigilance to guard against the appearance of assassins, the journey out of Bablon City was peaceful. Nothing out of the ordinary happened. On the contrary, many people spontaneously greeted the princess by the roadside. Some were crying, some were singing poems, and some were representing the nobles of the towns to pay their respects to the princess and present gifts. The princess did not receive any guests. All the gifts were received by the supreme mage Peri who accompanied her and conveyed her gratitude.
On the third day, there was finally a small problem. People almost thought that it was an assassin, but it turned out to be a misunderstanding.
That morning, not long after the Princess's entourage left the town where they had set up camp, they passed through a stretch of lush green fields. The official road in front of them took a turn, and on the left there was a small hill. There were not many trees on the hill, and it was a grassy slope that was knee-high. Halfway down the mountain, a man shouted from the top of the mountain, "Princess Sissila, I'm here to protect you!"
The man's voice traveled far and wide, and the entire entourage heard him. His voice caused a commotion. The guards and warriors in the front and back turned around, their bows nocked and their swords unsheathed. Peri, with his staff in hand, jumped onto the roof of the princess's carriage. The well-trained Assyrian warriors at the front had already turned their horses around and rushed to the foot of the hill, raising their heavy crossbows.
There was only one person at the top of the mountain. He was wearing the most dazzling warrior armor on the continent. It was made of Damasc steel and covered with heavy silver. It was also engraved with the patterns of divine spells. This man did not carry a sword. Instead, he had a curved, fang-like scimitar hanging from his waist. The hilt of the scimitar was tied with a silk ribbon, and the hilt was long like a short staff with a flame sprite embedded in the end.
Amidst the tense atmosphere, he walked down the hill in big strides with a smile on his face and a spirited look on his face. Cripps, the leader of the escort team sent by the Assyrian Empire, had already surrounded the foot of the mountain with his cavalry. "Halt!" he shouted, "Do not trespass on the princess's carriage, or you will be killed!"
As if he didn't hear him, Medanzo waved at Peri from afar, "Peri, we meet again! I'm Medanzo, do you still remember me? Oh, I heard you're already a supreme mage, at least the eighth level, right? " Those who didn't know his background wouldn't know how close he was to Peri. Medanzo didn't slow down as he spoke. He strode forward in big strides, already within the range of the crossbows. Peri frowned and was about to shout, but the sound of bowstrings rang out. The knights of the escort team had released their arrows in unison.
They only listened to their captain's orders. Cripps had already ordered Medanzo to stop, but Medanzo didn't. These people were used to killing on the battlefield, and as soon as they saw Medanzo walk into their range, they shot their arrows without hesitation. The arrows shot by the strong warriors were powerful enough to pierce through a bull. In the blink of an eye, they would turn Medanzo into a hedgehog. Many people at the back of the caravan cried out in alarm.
However, Metatro didn't even draw his saber. He didn't dodge or block. He didn't even stop moving. With a wave of his hand, he left a series of afterimages in the air. It was as if his arm had turned into countless arms and caught all the crossbow bolts in his hand. He held a handful of them in his hand. Although the distance was a little far, an ordinary person's skin and flesh would have been rubbed off if he had caught the arrow. It was not easy to catch it, but Metatro had caught it as easily as if it was a stalk of grass.
After exclaiming in surprise, everyone sucked in a breath of cold air. Cripps had already unsheathed his sword, and his knights had raised their spears and were ready to charge. They knew that they had encountered a powerful opponent. At this moment, they heard a delicate shout, "Stop! This warrior is my friend. He's here to protect me. Didn't you hear him? "
Everyone looked up and saw that Princess Sissila had already lifted the curtain and was standing in front of the carriage shaft. Her silhouette was delicate and her hair was fluttering gently in the morning breeze. However, her pretty face was cold and her voice carried an irresistible majesty.
"Did you hear that?" Metatro shouted again in a high-spirited manner. Her Highness has summoned me. Put down your weapons! "As he spoke, he walked towards the caravan at the foot of the mountain.
Cripps rode up to Princess Sissila and said in a displeased tone, "Your Highness, this man is skilled and we don't know why he's here. You can't act on your own!" Princess Sissila retorted, "What do you mean? Do you have the final say? He's a warrior that I personally conferred to the kingdom. When I was kidnapped by the giants on the Syah Plateau, it was he who risked his life to save me and escort me back to the capital.
Of course you don't know him, but he's my friend. Peri can testify for me! "
Peri, who had jumped off the carriage, explained awkwardly, "Yes, his name is Medanzo. He did rescue and protect Your Highness, so Your Highness conferred him the title of a noble warrior. But …"
Princess Sissila interrupted with a sullen face, "But what? He's my savior, a noble knight. What's wrong with escorting me? " Cripps grumbled in his heart. Of course, there were many 'heroes of the kingdom' who worshipped and followed Princess Sissila. There were dozens of them following behind the caravan, but they were not part of the royal guards and could not disturb the princess's carriage. They could only bring their own rations with them. Who would have thought that Medanzo would come and greet the princess so openly?
Cripps straightened his neck and shouted, "I've been ordered by Emperor Sinnach to protect Your Highness. I'll be in charge of all the security along the way. Do not let this dangerous and unknown man get close to your carriage!" Princess Sissila was furious. She didn't give him any face and snapped, "Cripps, are you trying to commit treason? It's not up to you to say whether this man is trustworthy or not. Only I have the final say! There's no way you don't know who I am, and why I'm going to Assyr! If he isn't trustworthy, then there's no one here, including you, who is. I won't stop you from carrying out the orders of the Emperor, but please consider your identity and future! Guards, disperse! Summon the hero! "
Cripps was choked for a moment. His face turned red, and he almost couldn't speak. He was one of the leaders of Sinnach's palace guards and a supreme warrior. He was sent here on a mission to escort the princess to Assyr. Originally, he despised the people of Bablon Kingdom. Just now, he was ready to kill Medanzo if he wanted to. But Princess Sissila's words were like a bucket of cold water poured over his head. It was a warning that made his skin crawl.
The princess was going to marry the Emperor of Assyr and become the Empress of the Assyr Empire. No matter what her motives were, once she became the Empress, even if she only won Sinnach's favor, it wouldn't be difficult for her to find an opportunity to get rid of him, the leader of the palace guards. If Princess Sissila wanted to kill someone with a borrowed knife to vent her anger, would Emperor Sinnach protect the Queen or the Captain of the Royal Guards?
Princess Sissila's words were clearly hinting: Don't talk back to me. Don't be fooled by your prestige now. When I become the Empress of Assyr, I'll be able to take care of you!
Cripps's mind raced as he realized that the princess in front of him wasn't someone to be trifled with. So he bowed and said, "Your Highness, I'm only doing this out of consideration for your safety. Since you have absolute trust in him, then let him come." He then waved his hand and ordered his knights to clear a path.
Medanzo walked to the front of the carriage and bowed to the princess, "My beautiful princess, do you still remember what you said back then? When I escorted you from the town of Arcade to the capital of Bablon, you said that on the day of your marriage, you would let us brave men accompany you. I've always remembered it. That's why I came here today. "
Princess Sissila did say these words, but she was joking with her guards. Someone asked her when she was going to marry Gilgamesh. Princess Sissila didn't answer directly, so she said those words. Today, she was indeed going to get married, but to Emperor Sinnach.
Princess Sissila looked at Medanzo, and for some reason, her heart was filled with emotions. She wanted to show a noble smile, but it was very faint. She waved her hand gracefully and said, "Thank you, my noble hero!" Then she turned to Peri and said in a commanding tone, "Give this hero the best horse you have. Tell him to follow my carriage."
Peri was stunned. He wanted to dissuade her but didn't say anything. The supreme mage suddenly realized that the woman in front of him, be it the Princess of Bablon or the Empress of Assyr, was not someone to be trifled with. He even regretted accepting the bribe of the Assyr Empire. He had been spying on the princess for so many days, and it might be a thankless task to do so.
No matter how much pressure the princess was under, the only one who could truly offend her was Emperor Sinnach himself. Everyone else had better learn their lesson.
So Medanzo rode a pure white horse next to the princess's carriage. In front of him was a dazzling ceremonial guard, and behind him was a luxurious caravan. He was the most eye-catching person in the entire procession. He took out a fiery red cloak out of nowhere and put it over his bright silver armour. Only those in the know would know that he was a brave warrior who had volunteered to protect the princess. But those who didn't know the truth would think that he was the groom who had come to pick up the bride.
Princess Sissila was talking to Medanzo through the curtain in the carriage. She said in a low voice, "I heard that you followed Supreme General Amon to Salem. No, I should call you Amun now. It is said that Supreme General Eygut was actually a god who walked among the mortals. Is that true? "
Medanzo raised his head and answered, "Yes. He is a true god, my only god!"
For some reason, the princess sighed and said, "You shouldn't have come here. Salem has just fought against the Assyrian Empire in the Plains of Duc. If they knew who you are, they would have treated you as a dangerous enemy."
Princess Sissila naturally knew who Medanzo was, and so did Peri, the supreme mage who accompanied her. Peri wanted to remind her but was stopped by the princess. Cripps, the supreme warrior sent by Sinnach, had been living in the capital of Assyria for a long time. He had been in charge of the Assyrian Imperial Army for a long time, so he didn't know much about the news from afar. Medanzo was only the captain of Supreme General Amon's bodyguard. Even after he came to Salem, he only showed up a few times in the war. It was normal that Cripps had not heard of him.
Medanzo smiled and said, "This is the territory of the Kingdom of Bablon. I used to be a noble warrior of the Kingdom of Bablon. Why can't I come with you? In order to protect you, I am not afraid of any danger. I will escort you all the way to the Lys River. You will be safe after crossing the river. " Medanzo wasn't stupid. He wouldn't cross the river with the convoy into a city guarded by the Assyrian army. He would only escort the princess to a safe place. The princess nodded silently. She couldn't help but ask in a concerned tone, "Before I left Bablon City, I heard the latest news. He was also in the battle against the Giant Legion. Is he alright?"
Medanzo was a little surprised. He immediately understood that the 'he' the princess was talking about was Gilgamesh. He couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. But he still replied politely, "He's fine. He's not as arrogant as he used to be. I wouldn't have noticed him if he hadn't shown up. He actually appeared in the battle as an ordinary archer."
The princess was a little surprised, "Oh? How did he dress up? I can't imagine him like that! "
Medanzo had no choice but to describe the scene of Gilgamesh's appearance on the battlefield. The princess couldn't help covering her mouth as she listened to the shocking battle. Finally, she put her hand on her chest and asked, "Where did he go after the battle? How did he react when he heard the latest news from the Kingdom of Bablon?"
There was a hidden meaning in the princess' words. What she really wanted to ask was: how did Gilgamesh react when he heard that Sinnach was going to force her to marry him? What did he say? But it wasn't a good time to ask directly.
Medanzo sighed and answered, "Unfortunately, I don't know either. I rushed here as soon as I heard the news. I wasn't with Gilgamesh at the time."
Then both of them fell silent. The princess looked at the hazy scenery outside the carriage through the gauze curtain, sighing for someone. Medanzo's appearance had evoked her memories of the past. At this moment, the person she missed the most was her ex-fiancé, Gilgamesh, who had never cared about her.
Where was Gilgamesh at this moment? Princess Sissila would never have imagined that the once noble hero was now wearing a shabby linen robe and a pair of worn boots, rushing to the Kingdom of Bablon. After entering the city, he went straight to Prince Benut's mansion. When he walked towards the gate, a guard at the gate immediately stopped him.
Gilgamesh didn't move. He stood on the stone steps and said, "Please inform the guard that I want to see Prince Benut. My name is Gilgamesh."
The bodyguard had already raised his leg to make a feint kick and was about to glare at Gilgamesh when he heard Gilgamesh's last sentence. He froze in place and rubbed his eyes in disbelief. Putting down his leg, he stretched out his head and asked, "Are you … are you really Gilgamesh?"
Gilgamesh answered calmly, "What good would it do me to pretend to be Gilgamesh in this place?"
That's right. Someone pretending to be Gilgamesh in front of Prince Benut's mansion is no different from seeking death. The guard went in to inform the guard of Gilgamesh's arrival. After a while, the gate opened and Prince Benut came out to greet Gilgamesh. He bowed from afar, "Gilgamesh, is it really you? My apologies, my servants have been rude! "
Gilgamesh shook his head, "They have not been rude. Thank you for coming out to greet me personally. I have an important matter to discuss with you. I wonder if Your Highness has the time? "
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