Time ticked by slowly as the nobles calmed down. Veronica took a map from Sidney and marked out a few areas with stones and branches.
"December Square and the surrounding areas are filled with rioting people. Every street from the South Gate to the East Gate is completely blocked by them. South of the Empress, we noticed a few guards confronting the advancing crowd when we passed by. In short, these places are not suitable to pass through. "
She explained as she gestured.
"After entering the inner city, there are Imperial Guards guarding it. Even if there are problems with the patrolling cavalry and the city guards, these troops under the direct command of the Imperial Family will still be loyal to their duties. There are also a few Knights of the Flame Kindred and a few monks of the Holy Cathedral stationed here. Even if there are high-ranking forces infiltrating, it will not be able to reduce their fighting power in a short time."
She turned to Brando and asked: "How confident are you?"
Brando shook his head and said truthfully: "Not even ten percent."
The night wind blew through the hills and the forest, rustling the corners of the map. The stones and branches that were pressed on it fell to the ground. Everyone present felt the deep chill of the night.
Veronica did not pay much attention to the map since it was meaningless anyway. She looked at the young man Erouine with an indifferent expression, as if the answer to the question should be so.
The female commander said: "Then at least you have to avoid the rioting people. They may be of help to you."
"I'm afraid it will be difficult," Baron Huo Metz said at this time. He was the eldest son of the Duke of Flowers and Leaves, and Faena's brother. He was a young man with regular facial features, thick eyebrows and big eyes, and had the righteous aura of a soldier: "The current riot is far from the record of twenty-three years ago, not to mention the one in the year of change. I'm afraid it will be difficult to affect the inner city."
Everyone present fell silent. Obviously, they did not see the opportunity brought by the riot. However, Brando felt that it was not that simple. If the All For One was behind the rioting people, it would be fine, but the Tree Herders rarely returned empty-handed. Once they took action, they must be up to something.
However, he did not voice his thoughts out loud. He knew that in this era, it was difficult for the nobles to distinguish between the factions of the cultists. Even a knowledgeable person like Veronica would often confuse the Tree Herders with All For One.
He could tell the difference, but he could not explain why he knew so much about the cultists. It was a taboo topic, so he decided not to talk about it.
The only one who was as calm as Brendel was the old Prime Minister Nidevan. The man who had once commanded the winds and clouds of the Empire had become silent again after scaring everyone. He did not participate in the discussion and only watched quietly from the side. However, he was full of energy, as if he was not afraid of the cold night. His narrowed eyes were always sparkling with vigor.
Next to Old Nidevan, Junior Nidevan hesitated for a moment before speaking: "Her Majesty has long known that there are cultists behind the riots. She did not ask about it, but I'm afraid she wants to kill them to establish her authority."
Although he was called Little Nidevan, the current Prime Minister of the Empire was actually in his sixties. According to the lifespan of the Iron Folk of Vaunte, he was already middle-aged. Although he was not appointed by the Queen, he finally stepped down from the political position at the last moment. His understanding and speculation of the Queen's political intentions could be said to be the most authoritative among the people present.
"The political situation in Bankle is unstable. Killing people is indeed the best way." Veronica nodded.
Only Brando frowned. As a person from a civilized world, he still could not accept the topic of killing civilians, although he understood that such a topic was nothing to the nobles.
In nature, social animals often depleted their numbers to reach a balance with nature. The same was true for humans, whether through war or internal strife, especially in an era when expansion was difficult.
The root of the unrest in the core of the Empire was the cutting off of the supply line. Moreover, the war between Metz and the south of the Evergreen Corridor was not going to end anytime soon. In that case, they could only reduce the number of people consuming food.
"Lord Nidevan, what do you think?"
Veronica turned her gaze to the old Prime Minister.
Old Nidevan sighed. "Her Majesty wasn't like this in the early years either."
Brando was stunned. He did not expect the former Chancellor of the Empire to say such a thing. The others were similar, but the old Chancellor's words evoked the memories of the older nobles, such as the Grand Duke of Mehotofen.
"Indeed." The latter nodded. "It is indeed unexpected that His Majesty would become what he is today."
"What was Her Majesty like in the past?" Brando suddenly asked.
It was not that he was curious, but he realized that Old Nidevan's sudden interruption of the topic might be hinting at something.
"Commander Veronica, you should remember."
Veronica was stunned for a moment, then nodded slightly. "Her Majesty used to be known as the kindest princess in the Empire, but that was during her time as a princess."
"I remember it clearly." The Grand Duke of Mehotofen smiled. "At that time, we were learning noble etiquette in the Royal Griffins Academy. Her Majesty often talked to us youngsters about the future and ideals. She was most concerned about the status of the Empire, but at that time, she believed that the people of Cruz did not have to rely on war, but could also rely on commerce and development to seize prosperity and power …"
"Yes, I was a staunch opponent at that time." Veronica could not help but laugh as if she was remembering the youth of the past. "I was about the same age as Her Majesty, and every time I would be angered to death by her naivety. But the Her Majesty back then was indeed very different from the Her Majesty now. She was especially concerned about commerce, hoping to achieve the second flourishing period of civilization through the expansion of the Dark Forest and the trade links within the civilization."
Hearing this, Brando could not help but touch his nose, wondering why this strategy sounded so familiar.
"To be honest," the female general's tone could not help but become gloomy. "I actually agree with the current Her Majesty, but her way of dividing the Empire is not something I can tolerate. She also went against the rules of the game of the nobles by attacking the princes."
At this time, Brando suddenly realized that he knew too little about the Queen of the Empire. In another period of history, she was just a transitional figure. During the period when she ruled the Empire, she existed as a bridge between the two great emperors.
Everyone knew that the Silver Queen was Constance, who sat on the highest throne. It was the most peaceful period of the Empire, and the world was at peace. The only thing worth remembering was the Third Holy War, but it was a pity that this Holy War was destined to be a footnote for the next war of a larger scale, and that was the experience of another legendary emperor.
As for the Queen's time as a princess, and even the history of her teenage years, few people knew about it.
Brando was the same. He found that his understanding of the Queen's time as a princess was limited to a few words from Tuman.
Why did she change so much before and after?
Brando suddenly remembered a conversation at that time, and could not help but mutter to himself, "… Then in that seal, other than the Crystallization Disease, what did she see?"
Old Nidevan suddenly raised his head, looked at Brando shrewdly, and then shook his head.
"No one knows, but I have some guesses."
The two of them seemed to be talking in riddles. Others were confused, but only Brando could understand that this question was back to square one.
This was a question that even Tuman was vague about, but the old man in front of him told him:
I have some guesses —
He was stunned for a moment, and immediately stared at the former prime minister of the Empire.
The old man was silent for a moment, and then said, "I heard a rumor. Someone once saw Her Highness bring back a baby girl from there."
"What?"
"From the crystal."
Brando immediately understood that the key to the problem was the baby girl.
The old prime minister stopped talking and looked around. Duke Mehotofen and Nidevan immediately understood and found an excuse to leave. Only Baron Huo Metz was a little confused, but he was soon dragged away by his sister.
Vahina looked at Brando with some worry before she left.
Veronica was also about to leave, but the old prime minister stopped her.
"You stay, Legion Commander. You are also involved in this matter," he said. "In the past, I once doubted this statement and suspected that someone was deliberately spreading rumors. However, after witnessing Her Majesty's actions over the past few decades, I finally understood."
Brando and Veronica did not interrupt. They knew that what the old prime minister was about to say was the main point.
As expected, the old prime minister slowly answered.
"… I suspect that the baby girl is a newborn."
"What's a newborn?" Veronica asked, puzzled.
Brendel suppressed the storm in his heart and recalled the literature he had read in the past. He explained to the female army commander, "There are many theories about the newborn species, but the Buga people believe that the pure-blooded Divine Folk is the most likely …"
"Divine?"
"Not a divine, but a pure-blooded one. The Miirnas are also descendants of the divine with thin bloodlines. The Dark Dragon Odin is also a divine, but the only pure-blooded divine of the previous generation is the Azure Knight."
The old prime minister nodded slowly. "Sir Count, your understanding is more detailed than mine. Therefore, the Azure Knight in the Pale Epic is also a newborn species."
"Why would there be a newborn baby girl on the final battlefield?"
"I don't know. Perhaps she is a descendant of Odin and the Witch Queen."
"That's impossible." Brando shook his head, "The bloodline of the divine is thin with each generation. The descendant of Odin and the Witch Queen can only be a Miirna." He paused and asked, "Lord Nidevan, why do you think so?"
The old prime minister was silent as if he was hesitating, but he finally made up his mind and said, "Very few people know that Her Royal Highness made a vow of chastity after the end of the Holy War. Of course, this is a secret. The vow was made by Valla."
"Later, Her Royal Highness married Duke Olsen. Seven years later, the Duke was assassinated by the cultists on his way to the Metz area. During this time, Her Royal Highness gave birth to seven princes and three princesses. I thought it was all in the past … but then I suddenly figured out the key point. After having doubts, I secretly confirmed with Valla that Her Royal Highness had never broken her vow."
"What!?"
Brando and Veronica could not help but exclaim. They had never heard anything more bizarre than this.
"What about the princes and princesses?"
The old prime minister nodded, "From then on, I began to have doubts. On one hand, I announced that I was going to live in seclusion and would no longer interfere with the internal affairs of the Empire. On the other hand, I secretly investigated and finally found some clues. I found that Her Royal Highness had been secretly supporting some well-known alchemists for the past ten years. Her extermination of the cultists in East Metz and imprisonment of Mayad was actually for the Blood of God in the hands of the Tree Herders. "
"You mean …"
"I suspect that Her Royal Highness is trying to recreate the newborn. Those princes and princesses are her masterpieces. Of course, she claims that these children are her own. Her marriage with Duke Olsen is also a good cover. But in fact, there are people in the Empire who have been suspicious for a long time. After all, Her Royal Highness does not look like a woman with fertility."
"Wait a minute." Brando suddenly felt a little creeped out. He could not help but think that the next emperor of the Cruz people was actually a cyborg. But he immediately realized that the eldest prince of the Empire was an exception because he was the son of Constance's elder brother. She had taken the throne from her elder brother, so she would eventually return the throne to her elder brother's bloodline. This was also one of the promises that the Silver Queen made to the dragon and the Empire's previous emperor.
"Nothing." He waved his hand, indicating that he was overthinking.
The two looked at him strangely but did not ask.
But Brando thought of another question, "Since Her Royal Highness is trying to recreate the newborn, what is her intention? Where did the newborn that she brought back from the final battlefield go? "
He asked this question, but the old prime minister shook his head unexpectedly, "I don't know. Let's not talk about how the pure-blooded divine can be recreated with the power of mortals. I also don't know why Her Royal Highness is so stubborn. But the newborn that year did not fall into her hands in the end."
"What?"
"I happened to investigate this matter. The existence of the child was deliberately covered up. Only a few people knew of her existence. And among the three parties involved, I found a Mr. Pamid Andotel. Unfortunately, I was a step too late. By the time I found him, this gentleman had already been summoned by the Lord and had left ahead of me. I spent a large sum of money to buy all his notes from his widow. From the words and phrases in them, I learned the truth of the matter. "
"I can be sure, Mr. Count, that it was your grandfather who helped Her Royal Highness at that time to cover up this matter. And the baby girl was eventually taken away by a woman named Gloria. This woman was not from the Empire. At first, I took the wrong path. I thought that she was close to your grandfather, so I spent a lot of time on this, but to no avail. Later, I changed my mind and investigated the people around your grandfather. Only then did I find out that this woman was your father's fiancée. And in the royal genealogy of the Kingdom of Erouine, there happened to be a princess with this name. "
…
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