After Becoming The Tyrant CH 158 Imperial Knight
Porto Port.
On the pier, the patriarch of the Mason family was waiting respectfully. In the previous rebellion, the Mason family was not like the complacent Earl of Pligney, who thought that with the help of a black dragon and mercenaries, he could act willfully. The leader of the Mason clan was weak in ability, but he was quite cautious by nature. Apart from providing military support in the early stages of the rebellion, he had never set foot on a battlefield.
Facts have proved that his approach was correct.
The majestic Earl of Pligney's whole corpse was no longer able to be found, but he was still huddled in Porto Port, safe and sound, relying on the power of the head of the Inquisition Bureau of Herrid City and living well.
On the sea in the distance, swaths of snow-white sails were set up, as neatly as a fiercely unfolded battle flag. The figurehead of the ship at the front looked like an angel holding a sword raised high. The whole ship cut through the waves, like a long sword dividing the sea, carrying a majestic momentum. On both sides of the ship's deck stood a group of silver-armored warriors. They were the most powerful Knights Templar of the Holy Court.
The giant ship docked, and the white footboard was lowered.
A group of priests dressed in white quickly spread a pure white carpet between the footboard and the pier. All the people on the pier knelt down with their hands close to the ground.
The Emperor of the Holy Empire, the Pope of the Holy Court, Theolde slowly stepped down from the holy ship.
Compared with the previous white-haired popes who took office, Theolde was considered young, and he was probably the greatest pope in the history of the Holy Court, because he not only swept away the heretical belief in the old gods, he also completed the mission that all believers should do——he established the kingdom of God on earth for the Holy Lord.
Theolde's cassock was blown by the wind. The Pope's robe should have been pure white, but because he was also the first emperor of the Holy Empire, compared with the usual white robes, Theolde's cassock also had golden embroidery.
What was surprising was that after the Pope stepped onto the pier, he did not walk along the carpet symbolizing "holiness and indefilability". Instead, he took a few steps to the side and stepped directly on the ground.
"Your Majesty?"
Following Theolde down was Cardinal Sisian, who reminded the Pope softly.
"I've been thinking about what kind of country this is." Theolde sighed, looking towards the distant direction of the Rose Palace. The smell of blood and gunpowder smoke still lingered in the air. Patriarch Mason had tried his best to clean up this place, but the smell of blood and fire still lingered for some reason.
Everyone looked at each other, but no one dared to say a word.
During this period of time, all the fruits of victory achieved by the Holy Legion movement under the control of the Pope have firmly placed the man wearing the papal tiara at the pinnacle of power——he held more power than any previous pope!
Theolde leaned down and grabbed a handful of dirt from the ground amid everyone's astonished looks.
"Look at this soil."
He spread his hands, and the wind blew the dirt down.
"Soaked in blood."
Sisian reacted the fastest. He immediately drew a cross on his chest and said loudly: "This is because the Holy Lord calls us to fight for Him with blood, and wants us to use arrows and fire to cleanse heretics! Holy, holy! Battle of ten thousand armies!”
Others followed Sisian, shouting: "Holy, holy! The battle of ten thousand armies!"
Theolde's gray pupils stared at the soil blown away by the wind, and he revealed a meaningful smile:
"Holy, holy! The battle of ten thousand armies!"
The waves crashed loudly, announcing the arrival of the Holy Legion of the Holy Land in Legrand.
………………
Kriya State, Senvia Fortress.
"Senvia" meant "to guard" in Kriya's language. This huge stone fortress named "Senvia" was built by Eleanor and the people of the whole country after she was crowned queen. It was the first fortress entering the Kriya Mountains from east to west and the first and strongest line of defense of Kriya State. It was also a natural line of defense for the entire southeastern region of Legrand.
The dark red glow of dusk casted its light over the fortress wall, which was as majestic as a giant standing among the mountains. In front of this giant was the rushing Doma River.
Amidst the sound of the rushing river, a team of cavalry arrived under the Senvia Fortress covered in rays of light.
Saul raised his head and looked at the majestic fortress built between the mountains. He now clearly felt that retreating here from Bubas was Legrand's best choice at the moment.
The Kriya Mountains were the source of Legrand's two great rivers, the Doma River and the Uzi River. It was also the gateway to the central and western parts of Legrand after landing at the southeastern coastal port of Legrand. With Kriya as the backing, and combined with the King's defense east of the middle reaches of the Doma River, a great wall could be built that combined the river, the terrain and the fortresses and castles.
Only by relying on the terrain of Kriya could they withstand the 70,000 strong Holy Legion of the Sea.
Saul took a deep breath and led the soldiers closer to the fortress.
Kriya's guards shouted and asked for their identities at the top of the fortress.
"Five thousand Iron Rose cavalry, ordered… by General Sheehan, to defend Kriya." He raised his head and shouted loudly to the fortress wall.
He raised the military order.
He held the general's order tightly.
The huge noose rotated, and the iron rope made a heavy clanging sound. The suspension bridge was slowly lowered, and the heavy city gate slowly opened from the inside.
"General Sheehan's order? Where is General Sheehan?"
A guard wearing a gray robe and wearing a bow and arrow with a vine pattern came up from behind the city gate on horseback.
"Yes, by order of General Sheehan."
Saul answered his first question.
The guard had already guessed some of the answer to the latter question from the silent atmosphere of the cavalry. He said no more, and turned his horse to lead them towards the fortress.
On the orders of General Sheehan... yes, on the orders of General Sheehan.
Saul closed his eyes.
Saul, we must be... knights who protect the world.
He led the Iron Rose Cavalry across the heavy suspension bridge, the river flowing rapidly underneath. Among the mountains, someone played a mournful melody. The sound of the flute was desolate, like weeping, like crying, like lamenting, like sorrow, and echoed in the woods for a long time.
In this war, for the final victory, everyone could be sacrificed and everyone could die.
……………………
The room was very quiet, the wall clock ticked on the wall, but time seemed to stand still. When the Head of the Households stepped inside, he saw his back turned to him, sitting at the table, the high-backed chair blocking his figure.
The Head of the Households could not see his expression.
"Queen Mother Eleanor sent back news that there are seven Holy Blessed Ones in Herrid Port, and there should be only three Holy Blessed Ones at Theolde's side. In two weeks, a batch of important materials for the construction of the Throne of God Pier will arrive by sea transport to Herrid Port. The Queen Mother will launch the attack on the day the supplies arrive at Swan Port."
The Head of the Households reported the important news one by one.
"The Holy Legion of the Holy Land has landed at Porto Port. Pope Theolde has also appeared at Porto Port with his personal Knights Templar. They did not advance immediately. The news that the Eternal Knights were intercepted and wiped out should be known to them by npw. The Knights Templar are undergoing recuperation in the territory of the Mason family."
"Across the Hopeless Inland Sea, the Nujin Empire has arrived at Holy Spirit Bay. The Demonic Wolf Knights led by Hermóðr' burned down St. Peter Port, the military port of Holy Spirit Bay, and are currently attacking the Third Sanctuary and the Fourth Sanctuary."
"Within the Holy Empire, there are signs of restlessness among the old nobles of Bressi in the northwest. As for the root cause, our overseas spies have not yet sent back any definite information."
……
The news was reported one by one. The Head of the Households paused and reported the final news: "The Iron Rose Cavalry has successfully retreated to the Kriya Mountains and arrived at Senvia Fortress. The Holy Legion of the Sea has occupied Bubas County and has dispersed its troops to various villages. South of the tributaries of the Doma River and east of the Kriya Mountains are all invaded by the Holy Legion. In addition..."
He looked at the King who had his back turned to him.
"In addition... the people seem to be angry."
The Head of the Households said this with some difficulty.
In fact, it was not that there seemed to be anger, but that "the anger of the people had reached a shocking level."
General Sheehan ordered the Iron Rose Cavalry to withdraw to Kriya, handing over the southeastern coast of Legrand, causing the entire southeastern people to suffer. In this situation where everyone in the entire country took up arms and fought to defend the country, this was an unforgivable act of "treason" in the people's eyes. He was thought to have betrayed the people of all the invaded areas of the Southeast, and he must pay for his sins.
The people's anger was like a blazing fire, burning from the occupied areas to all the counties of Legrand.
This was a thorny and crucial issue. If it could not be solved, all their previous efforts to unite the Legrand national spirit would be severely affected.
However……
The Head of the Households looked at the King's back.
He was one of the few people who knew the whole story clearly. The Head of the Households knew that what the King issued to General Sheehan was a secret order.
The choice actually lay with General Sheehan.
He could choose to issue the order to retreat in the name of the King, or he could choose to issue it in his own name. General Sheehan should have known what kind of dilemma he was facing from the moment he received the secret order.
And he had already filled in the most irrevocable answer for the monarch he served in the most tragic way.
Whether it was the Duke of Buckingham or the King, they both were not disappointed by this pit's man——General Sheehan was indeed one of the best generals in the empire.
"Your Majesty?"
The Head of the Households quietly reminded the King that those below him were still waiting for his orders.
The King sat at the table, with the unwritten writ spread out under the lamplight.
He looked out the window.
After putting down the rebellion in the North, the King once asked General Sheehan, who had made many military exploits in the war, what kind of reward he wanted. At that time, the army was still stationed in Bomari Castle. General Sheehan looked through the window at the royal Rose flag planted in Bomari Castle's towers, thought for a long time, and said.
"If possible, I hope that one day in the future, I can succeed the Duke and become Legrand's Imperial Knight."
William III would die, the Duke of Buckingham would fall, and each generation would pass away. However, the death of a lion did not mean that the country would lose its reliance. There would eventually be new lions emerging from the blood and war.
Now, General Sheehan, he had already proven it.
He could indeed succeed Duke Buckingham and become the new Imperial Knight.
——He was already an Imperial Knight.
After a long time, the King finally took up his pen and began to write the order issued to all Legrand people.
After taking the order written by the King, the Head of the Households lowered his head and read it again, only to feel that the paper in his hand weighed a thousand pounds.
This was a writ that was half a speech and half a command.
On the second half of the writ, the writing marks were as deep as a knife carving.
"...As long as the last Legrand soldier has not died, the Legrand Empire will never perish. As the monarch of the Legrand Empire, I will fight to the end with every knight, and I will shed every last drop of blood for this country so that the rose flag will never fall."
"In the name of the monarch of Legrand, I ask all the people of Legrand, no matter where you are, to fight to the end against the enemies that invade your homeland. The future of Legrand is in the hands of all of us."
"The glory of the empire cannot be tarnished, and the blood of the people of the empire cannot be desecrated. The traitor will pay the price for what he has done. I hereby give an order——"
"Pursue the position of commander of the southeastern defense line of Sheehan Rolandst, pursue the earldom of Sheehan Rolandst, and take back the territory that has been given to Sheehan Rolandst."
"Appoint Saul Cott as the General of the Iron Rose Cavalry."
"Traitors must die and the whole nation will fight."
……
The Head of the Households withdrew with this writ.
The King sat alone in the room, looking out the window in silence.
The long night, the dark night was eternal.