novelnext Page 91
Page 91
Upon hearing Lius's words, Roy nodded in sudden understanding, then gave a serious look, affirming Noelle's direction:
"Don't worry, Your Highness. Although I'm quite obsessed with magic, I will still do what needs to be done. As for the rebels in the south, I have sent people to monitor them around the clock and be ready to deal with any possible disturbances. I have also taken control of and pursued those involved. I believe we will have results soon, so please rest assured."
"Well, now that you, Luo Yiqing, have recovered, and all the attendees for this meeting are present, we can begin this discussion."
Looking at the somewhat naive young woman, Noelle didn't say much, just nodded slightly. Then she looked at the group in front of her, and with a gentle wave of her slender hand covered by black silk gloves, the four nobles, including Lius, went to their respective places.
"Well then, Your Majesty, everything is ready, and we may begin this meeting."
Turning towards Flora, Noelle gently curtsied, her hands on her skirt, and looked solemnly at her mother on the throne, awaiting the Queen's next words.
Flora, sensing her daughter's dignified and solemn demeanor, nodded slightly, then rose gently to stand before the throne and announced to the assembled crowd:
"Now that you've arrived here, I believe you all know the purpose of this meeting. As for Lord Frenz, there's no need to elaborate. You've all heard about the recent magic disease and the recent rebel invasion. The connection between these events is the focus of our discussion today."
To begin the meeting, Flora looked at Lius with a trusting gaze, then extended her hand towards him, beckoning him to come closer.
"Lord Leus is most knowledgeable about the rampant magic disease in the kingdom and has a great deal of information on this matter. Therefore, let him give a general overview of the current situation so that you may have a better understanding of the current state of us and the kingdom. Lord Leus, please."
"Yes, I understand, Your Majesty."
Nodding slightly in Flora's direction, Lius stepped in front of the group, glancing at the three beautiful women with different expressions beside him, his eyes displaying a very serious demeanor.
“Ms. Leon, Ms. Aurora, and Ms. Loy, recently, something like this has happened in my western territory. I've uncovered some clues related to cultists…”
Looking at the young women around him, Lius took a deep breath and finally began to recount the series of events he had recently experienced, completely revealing this information and causing the people in the throne room to display a variety of different attitudes...
Chapter 172 Three Nobles (Part 3)
"So... this is the series of things I've recently investigated, and it's also the conspiracy behind the cultists and the Kingdom's magic circle."
After saying his last sentence, Leus slowly exhaled, observing the people's reactions. Upon hearing these things, the surrounding ministers blinked in surprise, each displaying a different demeanor.
"What... this... is this really possible? When exactly were so many conspiracies set up, and how come we didn't notice them at all..."
"The cultists colluded with the rebels and even set up a magic circle in the kingdom that could sacrifice everyone... Is it really possible for such a thing to happen? If it is... then aren't we all in great danger now, with only one month left, and we could die at any moment after that...?"
"Damn it... Damn those cult members! Where are they?! They must be brought to justice immediately!"
The ministers' voices rose in a continuous stream of discussion, filled with panic and anger, while the three noblewomen at the head of the group remained silent, their brows furrowed. They did not show any obvious emotions, but silently pondered the meaning and mystery behind Lius's words.
"..."
As time went on, the atmosphere in the throne room became heavy, and an invisible pressure seemed to permeate the air.
Lius's narration instilled an unprecedented sense of crisis in everyone present. The collusion between cultists and rebels, the sacrificial magic circle capable of destroying the entire kingdom, and the recent, rampant magical disease—these pieces of information exploded in everyone's minds like bombshells.
A sharp glint flashed in Leon Serafina's eyes, her fingers unconsciously tightening around the hilt of her sword at her waist, as if she were ready to draw it at any moment. Her brows were also furrowed, clearly as she pondered how to deal with the impending crisis.
"hateful……"
As a female general in the North, she was well aware of the threat posed by the rebels, but she never imagined that cultists had infiltrated to such a deep extent.
Aurora Valenti maintained her elegant smile, but her eyes held a deeper meaning as she gently stroked the fan handle, seemingly deep in thought.
"Cult members, huh... Ha, they actually managed to evade my detection, that's quite surprising..."
With her experience from childhood, Aurora was extremely perceptive in intelligence gathering. Lius's words made her realize that this crisis was not only a military threat, but could also affect the economy and stability of the entire kingdom.
"Uh... what should I do? This formation is so huge. With my strength, I can only manage to break through half of it at most, let alone completely deal with it..."
Roy's face showed signs of fatigue and anxiety, his fingers unconsciously tightened around the medicine bottle in his hand, and his eyes were filled with unease.
She knew the power of magic and understood the devastating consequences that the magic array set up by the cultists could bring. Various magical countermeasures flashed through her mind, but at the same time, she also felt a sense of powerlessness.
"Young Master Leus, do you mean that our current situation is extremely dangerous, and we may even face annihilation at any moment?"
Looking at Leon, Leon's voice was deep and powerful, carrying an undeniable authority, and Leon nodded slightly, his eyes filled with determination and seriousness.
“Yes, Ms. Leon. According to our current intelligence, the cultists have already set up multiple sacrificial arrays within the kingdom. Once activated, the consequences will be unimaginable. We must take immediate action to stop their plans.”
Hearing Lius's words, Aurora nodded, her gaze carrying a profound meaning.
"Then, Prince Lius, do you have any specific plans? After all, it would be difficult for us alone to find and destroy all the magic arrays in a short period of time."
"This one……"
Lius frowned slightly, his fingers unconsciously clenching, as if he had been waiting for this sentence.
"I have already dispatched the elite forces of my family to secretly investigate the location of the magic array. At the same time, I hope everyone can provide support, especially in terms of intelligence and resources, and..."
Looking towards Roy, Leus's eyes flashed with seriousness as he spoke earnestly to him:
"I hope to get your help, Ms. Roy. I have a plan for setting up the array, but I can't complete it on my own. Ms. Roy, you have connections with the church. I wonder if you could let the church know about this and seek help together?"
"That's what Lius asked," Roy said, his fingers gently stroking the medicine bottle as he nodded vigorously.
"Of course! I can provide some magical support, including the church. I will make proper arrangements and allocate a group of people to you, Young Master Lius. I will also prepare a potion that can sense magical fluctuations as soon as possible to help you find the location of the magic circle."
"Well, that's enough."
Nodding slightly, Lius spoke gratefully to the brown-haired beauty, while Noelle beside him began her own rallying cry, her gaze sweeping across the crowd, her eyes filled with determination and resolve:
"My friends, as I just said, now is not the time to hesitate. We must act immediately, or the entire kingdom will be plunged into utter ruin." After saying this, Noel looked at Flora. "Your Majesty, please give the order, and we will do everything in our power to defend our homeland."
Queen Flora maintained her dignified expression, but a deeper meaning appeared in her eyes. Her fingers gently stroked the armrest of the throne, as if deep in thought. Finally, she addressed the assembled crowd:
"Gentlemen, Lord Leus's words have made us aware of the current crisis. Now, I need your full attention to deal with this threat together. Lord Leon, you are in charge of the defense of the North, ensuring that neighboring countries cannot take advantage of the situation."
“Yes, Your Majesty!” Leon replied solemnly.
"Minister Aurora, you are in charge of the intelligence network in the East. You must find the cultists' hiding place as soon as possible."
"Please rest assured and leave it to me." Aurora gave an elegant bow.
"Loyal Lord, in addition to assisting Lord Leus in handling church affairs, you must also ensure the mobilization of the southern army, ensure that we can quickly find and destroy the magic array, and prevent the rebels from taking the opportunity to invade. If Lord Leus needs it, you and the church must support him without question, and no opposition or disobedience is allowed. Do you understand?"
"I can definitely do it, Your Majesty!" Clenching her fist, Roy nodded vigorously like a little girl, solemnly making her promise.
“Next…” Flora took a deep breath and looked at Leus. “Lord Leus, you will continue to lead your family’s forces and be responsible for the investigation and operations in the West. All command of this operation will be handed over to you. You will be in charge of the entire operation and lead everyone in the fight. Are you capable of doing this?”
"Yes, leave everything to me, Your Majesty. Rest assured, I will not let you down."
Standing before Flora, Lius bowed slightly, and the silver-haired queen opposite him bowed respectfully, offering her heartfelt sentiments to this angelic beauty. Flora nodded in trust, then looked at the ministers below the throne, rose from her seat, and waved her hand at them.
"Everyone, let's get moving, we don't have much time left."
"Fight for the Queen!" Noelle cried out.
"Fight for the Queen!" the crowd swore.
Accompanied by impassioned words, everyone clenched their fists, their eyes filled with unwavering determination.
They knew that this crisis was not only a threat to the kingdom, but also a test for each and every one of them. They had to do everything in their power to survive this storm.
Meanwhile, Leus's gaze swept across the crowd, sensing the fervent atmosphere around him. He took a deep breath, then adopted a serious expression, and beckoned to Roy:
“Ms. Roy, come to my room when you go out later. There are some things we need to discuss privately.”
"Oh? A private talk? Is it about future cooperation with the church?"
"I suppose so, it's very important, so please come as soon as possible."
Nodding to the beautiful brown-haired woman, Lius reiterated the importance of the matter, then, at the Queen's signal, turned and left the throne room to return to his room to prepare for the upcoming challenge...
Chapter 173 Conversation with a Noblewoman (Part 1)
Some time later, inside the palace, in the private room arranged for Lius.
"Lia, why don't you go and familiarize yourself with the palace and the layout of the royal city with these ladies? I have some private matters to discuss with Ms. Loy, so I can't spend more time with you."
"Yes, thank you for your hard work, elder brother. The rest is up to you now. Keep it up, elder brother!"
Standing outside the door, Lia appeared obedient and docile, nodded vigorously to Lius inside, and left the room with the servants and maids beside her.
After seeing off his white-haired adopted sister, Lius turned around and looked at Roy, who was already waiting in a chair.
Looking at the beautiful woman with long brown hair and a serious expression, he also adopted a serious expression, sat down in front of Roy, and gently spoke to her:
"Ms. Roy, I need to trouble you with something today. This matter concerns the safety of the entire kingdom, so please take it seriously."
"Yes, I understand that. I promise I will treat what you are about to introduce, Young Master Lius, with the same seriousness as I would treat the potions I research."
With a very serious expression, Roy nodded vigorously to Lius, who couldn't help but smile helplessly.
"Ha... You treat what I'm saying with the same attitude you would a potion... That's quite a response that suits your personality, Ms. Roy."
After making a joke, Lius took out a seal bearing the church's emblem from his pocket and handed it to Roy.
"Ms. Roy, are you familiar with this badge?"
"This...isn't this the church's symbol? I often see it when I go to the church to learn church magic. However...this badge has a few more symbols. The six-pointed star on it seems to be different from the church's symbol."
Holding the small, exquisite badge in his hand, Roy tilted his head slightly, looking somewhat puzzled. Lius then slowly explained to him:
"Of course they're not quite the same. This badge... well, it's the church's original badge. After the church reformed, they removed the six-pointed star, which is the symbol you usually see in church. So this badge symbolizes a group of people who still believe in the church's original tenets, and they are different from the Protestants you usually see in church."
"Oh, I see. I understand now. Old Christians and Protestants, right? It's easy to understand."
Nodding slightly, Roy handed the badge back to Lius and continued to ask him with a puzzled tone:
"So, what are you trying to say by showing me this, Prince Lius? Could it be... that the formation in that kingdom is also related to these old believers? Are they the heretics you mentioned earlier, Prince Lius?"
"No, no, there's no connection between the two. Although there are indeed some 'minor conflicts' between the two factions, they are at least private disputes within the church. It's unlikely that they would escalate into a disaster that could endanger the entire kingdom..."
Lius shook his head slightly, then straightened his expression, adopting a serious demeanor, and lowered his voice to continue speaking to the brown-haired woman in front of him:
"What I want to tell you, Ms. Roy, is very simple. This group of old cultists intends to help transfer the magic power in the magic circle to a suitable body, thereby weakening the magic circle's effect. In this way, they might be able to dismantle the cultists' magic circle."
"Hmm? Transferring magic?"
Hearing this, as if touched on some deep chord, the brown-haired young woman blinked sharply, then adopted a professional demeanor, adjusting glasses that weren't actually on her nose, and slowly began to speak while pondering:
"Transferring the magic power within the magic circle elsewhere... In principle, it is indeed possible. According to the theory of the ancient mage Mary-Ogwiss, by using the third magic circle formula, an effect similar to magic transfer can be achieved... Then there's the magic circle eye theory in 'Fundamentals of Magic Theory,' which allows the magic power to find a suitable place to reside, thereby minimizing the internal effects... The third theory, that's right... the third theory..."
"Um... I don't want to disturb Ms. Roy's thoughts, but let's focus on the current matter for now."
Seeing the brown-haired young woman lost in thought, Lius once again showed a helpless expression and reminded the fanatical mage. Roy also blinked slightly, blushed a little, and coughed lightly, coming back to his senses from his previous thoughts.
"Ahem... I apologize, Young Master Leus, I got a little too excited. I've done a lot of research on magic arrays, and I've even tried transferring the magic power of some small arrays to other objects for storage. But now we're facing a massive magic array large enough to cover the entire country. Under these circumstances... carrying out this plan will be fraught with difficulties. Can those people you mentioned really do it...?"
"I can't really say for sure about these things, but we should always try. If it really succeeds, wouldn't that be a great achievement that has never been done before? That must be very attractive to you, Ms. Roy, right?"
Lius leaned closer to Roy and asked, while Roy pursed her lips slightly, trying to hide her excitement. However, judging from the trembling corners of her mouth that were turned up, the brown-haired beauty could hardly contain herself, filled with fighting spirit and eagerness for this "challenge".
"Ha... As expected, Young Master Lius, you understand my personality best. No wonder you were the one who fought me to a draw at the Magic Tournament back then, daring to make such a bold attempt. Compared to an old woman like me, a young person like you has a much brighter future..."
"Don't say that, Ms. Roy. I only dared to bring up this idea in front of you because I trust your abilities. In my opinion, Ms. Roy is not an old woman at all. I still have a lot to learn from you. Please don't get discouraged before I do!"
Reaching out, Lius gently stroked Roy's shoulder, a tender smile playing on his lips. Roy blushed and smiled back, placing her hands on her ample bosom, and whispered something alluring to Lius:
"Ha... Every time I receive such praise from you, Prince Lius, I, as your aunt, feel quite shy. Whether it was in the court before or now with your encouragement, you are always so earnest, making me feel a little embarrassed."
With that shy smile, Roy pursed his lips, took a deep breath, and his previously weary expression suddenly changed, transforming into a serious and mature demeanor. He sat dignifiedly in front of Lius and nodded gently to him.
"Since that's the case, then I, your aunt, can't continue to be lazy. Now I'll devote all my energy to planning and coordinating for you, Young Master Lius. Whatever needs to be done, I will do it well. Please rest assured and leave it to me."
"Oh? Is Ms. Roy about to activate her 'wholehearted' combat mode? That's quite rare. It seems you can't slack off this time either."
Looking at the brown-haired young woman whose gaze had suddenly sharpened, Leus sighed with slight surprise, then nodded to her and spoke in a serious tone:
“Ms. Roy, regarding my previous suggestion, although those old cultists have a way to transfer the magic power in the magic circle, their own strength is far from enough. More people who know magic are needed to operate together to completely transfer such a huge amount of magic power.”
"So it is said that many mages need to work together... I understand. This is also why you asked me to contact the church later, Prince Lius, right? The people of the church have a deep understanding of magic arrays. If we can get their assistance, the success rate of this plan will be greatly increased. Is this what you were thinking, Prince Lius?"
"That's right, but I also have a lot of troubles in this regard."
"Young Master Leus, are you troubled by concerns about the relationship between the Catholics and Protestants? Are you worried that conflict between them might prevent this cooperation from proceeding?"
Looking at Leus, Loy said thoughtfully, and Leus nodded slightly.
"Ms. Loy, you must have heard the saying, 'Infidels are more despicable than cultists.' I have also personally witnessed the series of persecutions of Catholics by Protestants. The two sides have a deep-seated grudge, and at this time, to ask them to cooperate... the resistance is simply too great."
"Um……"
Hearing Lius's words, Roy frowned slightly, seemingly lost in thought. After a few seconds of silence, he looked up at Lius again and slowly asked him:
"Young Master Leus, regarding those old believers, do they have a strong aversion to cooperation?"
“There were indeed some objections, but their bishop also said that in order to deal with this disaster, she was willing to put aside her previous hatred and deal with this crisis.”