Then there was a long silence.
Anna's eyes were not as calm as he had imagined. As they silently stared at each other, he felt an undercurrent surging under the blue lake surface. There was worry, fear, but more than that, determination. That was why she looked so determined.
As time passed, this feeling grew stronger.
Roland finally realized that he might not be able to persuade her.
He closed his eyes and let out a long sigh.
"Okay, but you have to promise me one thing."
"Say it."
"If something happens on the battlefield..." Roland licked his lips. "I mean, if, I'm unlucky..."
"If something like that happens, I'll leave the Northern Region immediately," Anna said bluntly.
Roland couldn't help but be stunned.
"Are you worried that I'll take revenge on the church and lose my life in vain?" She stroked his cheek. "Only Nightingale and Ashes would do that. I'll return to the Western Region as soon as possible, then take all the people who are willing to follow you to Sleeping Island, settle down there, and continue to fight against Holy City. Your Majesty, although I want to be with you, I know you don't want to see this happen. " At this point, she paused. "So I can promise you that before the world you want arrives, I will continue to walk on your behalf until witches and ordinary people can live together freely."
He did not answer, nor did he need to. Anna's growth was beyond his imagination. This was already the best reward for him coming to this world.
She reached out and unbuttoned Roland's shirt.
There was no need to say anything more.
The two kissed and fell on the bed.
Blackfire pulled down the curtains and pushed the clothes and bedding aside. At this moment, their fates were firmly connected, as evidenced by the stars in the sky.
...
Two days later, Roland gave his last speech before the battle in the square.
Hearing the news, his subjects crowded the square. After a year and a half of development, the old Border Town no longer existed and was replaced by the bustling City of Neverwinter. The people's lives had changed dramatically, and Roland's reputation had risen to an unprecedented height.
"Good morning, my subjects." He stepped onto the rostrum and was immediately greeted by overwhelming cheers.
"Long live the king!"
"Long live His Majesty!"
There was no need for echoes to support them, and there was no need for any encouragement. The people consciously and passionately let out cries filled with respect, waving their hands like a surging ocean.
After a full quarter of an hour, the cheers gradually subsided.
"You should already know," Roland said in a deep voice as he looked at the countless pairs of reverent eyes below the stage. "The kingdom is about to face a war of self-defense against invaders. The enemy is the Holy City of Hermes, which has annexed the Kingdom of Everwinter and the Kingdom of Wolfheart! Now, only Graycastle and the Kingdom of Dawn survive out of the Four Kingdoms. Now, they are targeting us! "
"I know some of you used to believe in God and the church. This is not shameful! Your kindness was used by others, and your expectations were deceived. Should I not blame the swindlers and robbers, but blame you, the victims? Of course not! "He raised his fist." The church should pay the price! Just by selling God's Stones of Retaliation, they earn hundreds of thousands of Golden Dragon every year — and this money should belong to you! "
"Why? The reason is very simple. The nobles are unwilling to spend a large sum of money to buy God's Stones, so they naturally transfer this part of the cost to the subjects. Increase taxes, increase contributions, confiscation, forcible seizure — this is the reason! And it's far more than just God's Stones. I believe you are no stranger to forced recruitment, such as building churches, permanent chief priests, and baptizing with holy water! "
If one asked what the people most easily understood and hated, it must be exploitation and oppression. The methods of the church were not as blatant as those of the nobles, but in the eyes of the battle-hardened Roland, it was not difficult to see through this thin veil, and at the same time, it was easy to pour dirty water on them.
"The church promised that the money would be exchanged for the protection of God, but what happened in the end? Before I came to Border Town, the people never had enough to eat or wear warm clothes. Famine and cold would still come every Months of the Demons. Those who couldn't endure it would close their eyes forever. As for those who survived … was it really because of the help of the Church or the Gods? No, they did nothing! "Roland suddenly raised his voice." The only thing they were interested in was sucking your blood dry! "
These things were still vivid in the minds of the local residents, and most of the refugees from other cities had experienced the same thing. An angry uproar broke out in the square. Everyone blamed the pain they had suffered in the past on the church.
"So I will never surrender, and I will not lose to such blood-sucking worms!" Roland waved his fist and shouted. "The First Army will crush them into powder, and no one will dare to rob my people again. You don't have to worry about building churches or paying money to atone for your sins, because these bullsh * t taxes will disappear in front of the new Graycastle!"
"It has been proven that without the existence of the church, Neverwinter will become a better place, and so will other cities!"
"It's your hands and your spirit that created all of this, not those illusory things. This is the reason why I've repeatedly emphasized the glory of labor. Only labor can create wealth, and you are the most glorious workers. Feel honored for this. Without you, there would not be today's prosperity in Neverwinter! "
He pressed his hands down to stop the voices of his subjects. "So the First Army has set off to the Northern Region to fight against the church that has been watching all of this. If we lose, we will lose everything and return to the poor days in the past... Tell me, are you willing to go back to the past? "
The answer was self-evident.
"No, Your Majesty, we will fight against the church to the end!"
"Kill them all!"
"Drive them out of Graycastle!"
"Defend His Majesty with our lives!"
There were various answers, but everyone had the same expression — they were willing to defend everything that had been hard-won.
"Well said. I don't need you to fight the enemy. That's the responsibility of the First Army. You don't need to pay extra war taxes, that's what the enemy does. You just need to continue to devote yourself to the construction and production of Neverwinter, and that will be the best help to your loved ones fighting in the front line. "Roland put his right hand on his chest and saluted." We will win! Long live the Kingdom of Graycastle! "
"Victory!"
"Long live!"
The people sang these two words over and over again, long after Roland had left.
That afternoon, the last batch of soldiers boarded the paddle steamer. The army took the "Roland" as the flagship and set off.
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