Heart of the Castle

Chapter 408 Traveling on Qingqi, Going to the Royal Capital
At dawn, the weather was clear, and the blue sky was as bright and transparent as a flawless blue crystal.The rapid sound of horseshoes broke through the tranquility of the morning and awakened Li Wei from his contemplation.

"In another hour, we should arrive at Fermeyer." Baron Hughes, who went to explore the road, reported that he was wearing an extraordinarily gorgeous red noble knight casual attire, with a dark green half-length cloak slanting across his shoulders. An emerald buckle.The rose-patterned belt woven with gold thread wraps around his slender waist, making him even more handsome and handsome. "We'd better take a break here, tidy up our appearance, and head to the City of Glory with the most glamorous appearance." He suggested to Li Wei.

Levi nodded to Baron Hughes, with deep worry in his eyes. The young lord covered up this emotion well with a calm and calm mask, but the worry was always there, and it increased with the journey.The journey to the capital this time was exceptionally smooth, and the information and intelligence brought by the big crow were all safe, but Li Wei had an ominous premonition that something terrible was about to happen.

This feeling of powerlessness made Li Wei very anxious. He really wanted to turn his head and leave, return to his own territory in the north, and find any excuse to decline the king's summons.Judging from the attitudes of powerful nobles from all over the world to the royal decree, this is not without precedent, and with the character of Arthur XII, it may not be considered a serious offense to decline the summons.

However, Levi couldn't really do that.The conspiracy of the demons and the plan of the dead is by no means completely bankrupt. Whether it is the six-pointed star array threatening the rotting swamp, or the demon army invading the northern border, they are all links in their grand plan.Breaking these two links does not mean that the whole plan is broken. Although the northern border county is temporarily safe, the rest of the kingdom cannot be guaranteed. This is what Li Wei wants to give when meeting His Majesty Arthur XII. Explain the problem.

The important ministers of the Kingdom of Arthur must pay attention to this matter. The entire country must operate as a huge war machine, otherwise there is absolutely no chance of defeating the terrible dark forces, especially this time with the addition of the deceased, the situation is even more confusing and difficult to sort out context.

Several attendants set up a tent in the dense forest beside the road, and asked Li Wei to change his clothes. Although the original adventurer's clothes were convenient for traveling on horseback, they were not decent enough for a powerful baron.Three or four attendants surrounded Li Wei, and changed him into a set of complicated and luxurious clothes. This noble dress was cut according to the latest fashion style of Fillmeyer, and it also took into account Li Wei's dual status of lord and knight. It is too dazzling and dazzling, and there are more cumbersome and useless accessories, but there is nothing that disgusts Li Wei.

But when the attendants put on a pair of high leather boots, Li Wei frowned tightly. "Wait a minute, these boots won't work."

"This is the most popular style among the aristocrats of the Firmeyer family. Your Excellency Levi, your original pair of things will cause ridicule." Baron Hughes said firmly.

The boots on Levi's feet cannot be said to be of low quality. The black boots are made of the softest calfskin, tanned and stitched impeccably, wrapping his feet like a second skin.But in the mouth of Baron Hughes, these boots are useless, whether in style or workmanship, they all reveal the poverty of a small country noble.

However, the pair of boots made according to his opinion were really deviant. The boots themselves were made of boa constrictor skin, with turquoise scales interspersed with gold and silver buckles, and tiny gold threads threaded through countless pearls and gemstones. Flandara's golden face was shining brightly under the light, and Levi even wondered if anyone would be able to tell whether he was wearing pants or not under the light of these boots if the sunlight could be stronger.

If these are barely tolerable, the high toe of the boots is what Levi feels most unforgivable.They have the audacity to outline a frightening height upwards, almost reaching the waistband.

Wearing these boots is neither suitable for riding a horse nor walking. Levi didn't want to be tripped up because of the weird shape of the boots, so he repeated it with emphasis. "Master Hughes, I can't wear a pair of boots that hinder my movement. I can't catch up when I need to chase, and I can't run away when I need to run."

"Your Excellency Levi, even if you have traveled all over the Kingdom of Arthur, you can't find a safer place than Guangyaozhi." Baron Hughes waved his hand, with a look of disapproval on his handsome face.

"Perhaps in the past, but not now." Li Wei answered him meaningfully. These words made Baron Hughes' eyes flash with thought, and then he stopped persuading him.

Firmeyer, the king's capital of the Kingdom of Arthur, is located at the confluence of the Victory River and the Oath River. The main body of the city wall is built with the unique white marble here. Known as the City of Glory.It seems that this strong city has been standing for countless years, and it can continue to stand, but Li Wei knows that this is not true.In fact, the history of the City of Glory is only a few hundred years old. At that time, Arthur I built a small castle made of logs and mud here as a base, and a few years later a war spread to the mainland.

After the founding of the Kingdom of Arthur, this monumental castle was expanded to become the capital of the king. Arthur I's overjoyed weakness was exposed here. He designed an unimaginably magnificent city and mobilized tens of thousands of people to build tens of thousands of buildings in succession. For the rest of the year, until time took his life away, the city was still far from being completed.

Even his son and grandson did not live to see the completion of Philmeyer. It took a hundred years before Arthur IX, who is known as the "king of the fortress", built it all.During the process of building the City of Glory, there were many voices criticizing it for being impractical and costing people and money, but after the completion, all the voices of criticism disappeared.

Because this city is so magnificent and spectacular that even the archbishop of the Temple of Radiance at that time called the city "the miracle of the Lord of Radiance", and immediately decided to move the Great Holy Church of Radiance to this place of miracles. to the city.

Li Wei and the others were stationed on the hills on the north bank of the Victory River in Ma, looking at the royal capital in the distance. Except for the proud smile on the face of Baron Hughes, everyone showed a surprised expression.Firmeyer's city wall is 20 meters high, and all of it is built with huge white marble with a thickness of half a meter. Even if it is far away, you can still clearly feel the majestic, majestic and shocking feeling.

When designing Firmeyer, King Arthur I once said that this is a strong city that no known force can shake. This sentence is still applicable today hundreds of years later.In the history of the Kingdom of Arthur, this glorious city has not experienced rebellion and attacks. In the era of Arthur III, the demon army once broke through the defense lines of the northern lords, and the flames of war burned all the way to the city of Firmeyer.However, whether it was the terrifying meteor fire rain of the demon lord or the huge alchemy tower, they could only leave an insignificant depression on the white city wall of Firmeyer until the demon army was driven from all over the kingdom three months later. When the coming lords surrounded and wiped out the city, the banner of the king's army on the top of the city of Fermeyer still stood firm.

However, the reason why Li Wei showed incredible eyes was not the majestic posture of the City of Glory, but that the city was so similar to the Heart of the Castle!Of course it wasn't the light red sandstone castle that hadn't been promoted to the next level, but the complete form of the huge castle that Mr. Dish showed him.Whether it is the tall towers and guard towers, or the wide city wall that can accommodate more than ten people side by side, they all have a strong sense of imitation.

"Your Excellency Li Wei, although the City of Glory looks close at hand, it will take nearly half an hour to actually walk to its feet." Baron Hughes suddenly reminded him, with a hint of complacency in his voice .

Obviously, Baron Hughes mistook Levi's surprise for the magnificence of Fillmeyer, but Levi didn't need to explain it. He nodded and said, "In this case, let's move on."

A group of people rode forward, galloped down the hills, and then crossed the bridge across the Victory River.Since it was still early, there were not many pedestrians on the bridge, so Li Wei and the others were able to ride their horses and quickly arrived outside the city gate of Firmeyer.

Looking up from such a close place, it seems that the City of Glory is extremely magnificent. The white city walls overlap with the city wall crenels and guard towers. Most of them are all kinds of knight badges, among which there are quite a few patterns that are extolled in the songs of bards and folklore; Into the cloud.

Firmeyer's city gate was cast in bronze as a whole, with many defensive magic runes engraved on it, most of which were completed during the reign of Arthur I, which was unique to the era when alchemy was prevalent. The style is simple, blunt and unremarkable.The other part is from the hands of the magister, and the exquisite and slender magic lines are shining with colorful magic light, which looks almost dazzling.

However, the effect between the two is exactly the opposite. Even after hundreds of years of wind, rain and war, these ancient alchemy runes are still very clear, maintaining the original effect, but the protection added later Magic is quite fragile. Even if there is no attack, the energy that protects magic is gradually exhausted, and it needs to be re-enchanted almost every three to five years.

Li Wei and his group had already changed into gorgeous clothes that fit their status, so they went unimpeded along the way, until they were stopped by a team of royal guards in golden battle robes holding long halberds in front of the city gate.

"In the name of His Majesty the King, Sirs, please stop." The captain of the Royal Capital Guard wearing a half-face helmet took two steps forward, and said in a very polite but vaguely pretentious tone, "Welcome Come to the glorious city of Philmeyer, two lords, what can I do for you?"

Baron Hughes rode his horse forward, "Knight Graff of the Barbet family," he called the guard captain's name, "don't put on airs here, it's been a long time since I saw you, you don't recognize me anymore Does it look like it?"

The captain of the guard noticed the face of Baron Hughes, and immediately showed a surprised expression on his face, "Hughes, you dare to come back! When you left, the people of those families can say that as long as When your feet are on the path of Firmeyer again, break them and the thing between your legs."

"So cruel? Then I'd better not get off my horse." Baron Hughes raised his eyebrows, deliberately showing surprise and fear, "But now I have obtained the title of Baron of the Kingdom, They may not dare to do it in public, right?"

"The title of Baron of the Border? This thing can't keep your life in Firmeyer." The captain of the guard grinned, expressing great contempt for Baron Hughes' words, "There are two families in the families you provoked. There are two earls and four viscounts, and there are countless barons and lords with the same status as you, and if the rumors are not wrong, Hughes, you seem to have something to do with the daughter of Lord Skinning?"

"No way!" Baron Hughes shuddered immediately when he heard this, and argued angrily, "The lady from the Reeves family is uglier than her father, and I'm not out of my mind, how could I have anything to do with her?" What's the matter? Well, Graf, since I dare to go back to Firmeyer this time, of course I have something to rely on, and these little troubles are nothing to worry about."

"Reliance? Is this the young Sir with an unfamiliar face?" The captain of the guard raised his head and looked at Li Wei. His attitude could not be said to be contemptuous, but at least it was not respectful enough. "He doesn't seem to be as old as you, Hughes, but you have found a good backer."

Baron Hughes drew a weird smile, "Please allow me to introduce you, my lord." He said in a long voice deliberately, "This is the guardian of the northern border and the north of the Sealand River, Green Castle He is the lord of Eternal Winter City, the lord of the Griffin, the creator of the Great Wall of Ice, the hero who defeated the demon army twice, and also the Lord Baron Liviston who was awarded the title of Knight of the Blood League by His Majesty Arthur XII."

Li Weitzer immediately stepped forward, his solemn posture and momentum completely in line with the series of titles that Baron Hughes said. "Leviston salutes the guardians of the capital." His voice was as calm as ice, and he wore the golden sword badge representing the high-ranking knight and the ruby ​​badge of the blood knights side by side on his chest.

The guards of the capital looked at each other, the series of titles were too loud. If the Baron of the Kingdom is nothing, then the Guardian of the North, the Griffin Lord and the hero who ended the disaster are amazing, not to mention He said that he had not seen a blood knight for decades.The captain of the guard hesitated for a moment because he was not sure whether Baron Hughes was joking, but then he slammed his breastplate in salute, "The captain of the eighth squadron of the No. 12 Regiment of the King's Guard Army, the high-ranking knight Graf salutes you , Your Excellency Leviston!"

The gold-cloaked guards behind him quickly said the same thing. Of course, the title of baron is nothing in Firmeyer, but Li Wei's name is always accompanied by a series of wars and victories, and the gold content in it is very high.Even among those rich and noble families in Firmeyer, many people set their sights on this dazzling new star rising from the northern border county.

However, what makes the captain of the guard feel a little strange is that it is rumored that Hughes went to Northern County together with the unlucky Earl of Phoenix to divide the territory that should belong to Levi. The relationship between him and Levi should be very tense, but now It doesn't feel like that at all.

"Your Majesty Li Wei came to see His Majesty the King after receiving an order from the envoy of the kingdom. The order is at the attendant's place. Would you like to check it?" Baron Hughes' voice woke up the captain of the guard, and he hurriedly shook his head Said, "There is no need to check, Lord Levi, Lord Hughes, please enter the city." Then he turned back and motioned the guards to get out of the way.

"Graf, after the change of guard at noon, I'll treat you to Mermaid's Tears." When passing by, Baron Hughes smiled and patted the shoulder of the captain of the guard, but what he got was a blank stare.

"Thank you, but I don't dare to drink your wine." The captain of the guard yelled in a rough voice first, and then lowered his voice to warn, "Hughes, those family members haven't forgotten you, so be more careful , if you can’t see your lifeblood, sooner or later you will make a big deal.” Then he raised his head and looked up, as if he was studying the pattern on the city gate, “It’s strange to say that the northern border is so cold. Why didn't you freeze that troublesome thing of yours?"

The last words of the captain of the guard made Baron Hughes blush with anger, but before he could retort, Levi coughed lightly, and then said, "Lord Hughes, where are we going to live today?" The young lord's voice was fairly calm, but his expression was distorted, as if he was trying to suppress his smile.

Baron Hughes let out a sigh of relief, and then looked around, "This is the city gate area. Although there are a few hotels that are clean and comfortable, they are too noisy. Lord Li Wei, why don't we live in Ashes Fortress? It is the residence of King Arthur's Iron Guard and the Knights of Ashes, located on the edge of the inner city, the environment is quite quiet, and there are many and large rooms, where the nobles who are waiting for His Majesty's summons usually live there."

"Ash Fortress?" Li Wei repeated the name, and a sudden strange feeling made him turn his head to another direction. There was a huge fortress standing on a raised high ground, with walls several meters high, and there were also buildings on it. There are crenels and guard towers, like a city within a city.The fortress is located below zero, overlooking the streets and alleys of the royal capital Fermeyer, and at the same time guarding the palace behind it, putting it under complete protection.Somewhat chillingly, the fortress is made of very different materials from Firmeyer's, and the whole body presents a dead gray color, which is as lifeless as its name.

An unreasonable sense of intense disgust made Li Wei lower his eyes, otherwise he would probably make some gaffe, but this feeling came and went quickly, and after a few heartbeats, Li Wei returned to normal expression.

"No, we don't live there, just find a hotel anywhere." He said to Baron Hughes, and at the same time he was thinking about where his unreasonable disgust came from. "The hotel doesn't need How luxurious, but as clean and comfortable as possible, the most important thing is..." Levi turned his head and glanced at the streets and alleys of Firmeyer. "……Safety."

(End of this chapter)