Heart of the Castle

Chapter 732 Doubt, abnormality, turning point
The old red-robed scholar Master Sugard stood on the semi-open terrace attached to the room, staring at the northern sky, letting the night wind blowing on his face tear his well-groomed white beard, fingers along the neck The Scholar's necklace slid up and down—a habit he had when he was restless.Master Sugard can't remember when he wore this necklace, but it was at least 50 years ago, and now every corner, corner and link of the necklace seems to be connected with his own flesh and blood, as familiar as a part of his own body.

The scholar's necklace is a symbol of the members of the Scholar's Guild. Each necklace has a different style, which implicitly shows the ability that the scholar is good at.A scholar who is good at accounting is likely to have a necklace with gold and silver as the main color, a scholar who knows military knowledge will add dark steel and obsidian to his necklace, and a scholar who is good at medical rescue The necklace must be inlaid with moonstones and emeralds.

Crafted from two dozen types of precious metals and jewels, Master Sugard's Scholar's Necklace represents his accomplished masterhood in many ways.But of course the master status will not be achieved overnight. For example, the deep purple diopside representing theological research was inlaid on the necklace ten years ago, 40 years after he got the scholar necklace.The real master of scholars was 20 years ago when scholar Sugad obtained the qualification to add several gray sapphires representing ancient magic knowledge to the necklace with a thesis of 10,000+ words.

Although it seems to be 1000 years ago in retrospect, Master Sugard still vaguely remembers the original appearance of his scholar's necklace, a block of aluminum inlaid with zircon, gold-plated brass, and a small opal.

This is a combination that is rarely seen among the thousands of scholar necklaces in the Scholar's Guild. Not to mention those outsiders who don't know much about it, even many scholars can't remember the meaning of this combination.However, Master Sugad will always engrave it in his heart. Even though the necklace itself has been changed beyond recognition by various metals and jewels added later, he still has not forgotten it for a day.

The meaning of this necklace is - Lurker.

In the eyes of many illiterate knights and lords, the Scholar's Guild is a loose organization with a semi-public nature. Most of the scholars in the guild have one or two very useful knowledge, which can help them manage their territories, write Letters and healing.For the vast majority of people, learning knowledge is a difficult thing, so even wealthy and educated lords like to choose a scholar from the Erudite Guild as an advisor.

More than [-]% of the scholars in the Erudite Guild are people who purely exchange the knowledge they have learned for a foothold, as these lords and nobles hope. Some scholars even expect to gain a foothold by virtue of serving a certain object for a long time. A chance to join the nobility.This is not impossible. The love story between the "clever" young scholar Smarr and the widowed Viscountess Barbara Hilton was even sung by bards.However, Master Sugard, who is a lurker, knows the truth very well. Almost all scholars who can successfully rank among the nobles are lurkers, and ordinary scholars who try to imitate them have lost their jobs due to one or another accident. even life.

If there is no secret instruction from the Erudite Guild, the lurkers are actually no different from ordinary scholars. For example, Master Sugard has served several lords with all his heart, including the two generations of the Viscount Ryan family. Day's loyalty has gained a considerable degree of trust.

At the very beginning, Master Sugard was not optimistic about Li Wei, who was born as a trainee knight servant. Although he gathered a group of refugees and established a weak refugee camp, such struggles could only make death come later. That's all.Scholars exchanged information through the Erudite Guild, and their knowledge of the abyssal demons far exceeded those of the country lords who had never left their territories and the ignorant nobles of the kingdom. It is narrower than previous times, or the purpose is clearer. It is not easy to successfully hold on to the territory before the evil disaster.

Therefore, to a certain extent, Master Sugard is more inclined to the strategy of shrinking troops and focusing on defense proposed by Viscount Ryan due to his cowardly nature. It is not a good way to attack rashly before the situation is unknown. If you are not careful, you will be wiped out disaster.

However, shortly after it was reported that Li Wei had set up a refugee camp and thwarted the attacks of demons several times in a row, Master Sugard received something he thought he would never see in his lifetime-a secret order from the Erudite Guild.What puzzled him was that the order clearly required him to give up serving Viscount Ryan, and to do his best to help the young apprentice knight squire gain a foothold in the north.

It is undeniable that after Master Sugard first received this secret order, the idea of ​​betraying the Erudite Guild indeed arose in his mind.From an emotional point of view, it is not easy to give up the Viscount Lane family who has served for decades; from a risk point of view, leaving the Viscount Castle protected by high walls and hundreds of guards is no different from courting death; from the possibility of success Well, Master Sugard didn't dislike the little attendant next to Knight Ston, after all, he was a kind, straightforward and simple child, but he never saw any qualities that belonged to leaders and heroes in him.

One can imagine how difficult the task is to help such a little guy without any foundation gain a foothold in the fog-shrouded and demon-ridden northern wilderness.Master Sugard didn't think about the possibility of success, but carefully considered the people he had offended in the Erudite Guild, trying to find out who wanted his dying life.

Of course, there was no result. Master Sugard did not muster up the courage to reject the secret order from the Erudite Guild in the end. He did not know what would happen to the lurkers who refused the order, but from his understanding of the dark side of the Erudite Guild, at least he knew clearly Compared with this end, death may not be something to be feared.

What happened next was completely beyond Master Sugard's expectations. The whirlwind named Griffin Lord Liviston began to blow from the autumn of 591 in the Dawn Calendar, and his life was added to an unimaginably magnificent and torrent. Elements, big events that are enough to be recorded in the history books appear one after another, making Master Sujiad feel overwhelmed, and at the same time, he can't help but feel mixed feelings in his heart.

"This is even more outrageous than the heroic epics made up by bards!" Master Sujiad couldn't help muttering, if he hadn't been able to have a panoramic view of the glorious temple and the holy mountain through the window in front of him, And if the cold tingling sensation from the finger also proves that this is not a dream, Master Sugad may really think that he has started to think wildly because he contracted a fever.

There was a regular knock on the door behind him, three light and two heavy, and then repeated again.That was the secret signal agreed with Marquis Jellosh. Master Sugard withdrew his gaze from the already dark night and left the window, "Please wait a moment, I'll be right here." The old scholar staggered to the door Before turning the doorknob, the lock cylinder bounced open with a crisp clicking sound.

The important member of the Arthur Kingdom Round Table Council, the Marquis of Geralds Amberpasia, appeared in front of the door with a rather old-fashioned aristocratic face. There was no problem except that he was slightly pale due to the exhaustion of the long-term negotiations.Master Sugard noticed that he seemed to have just bathed, his hair was wet, and there was a strange look in his eyes that mixed excitement and hesitation.

"Lord Marquis Jellos, should I say congratulations on the significant progress in the negotiations?" Master Sugard said with a smile, turning his body sideways and making a gesture of "please come in".

The Marquis of Geros looked at Master Sugard with strange eyes, he saw the scholar necklace from his robe, especially between his legs, "I remember that the deputy appointed by His Excellency the Prince Regent is his The advisor—the red-robed scholar Master Sugard, not Lord Bamilyan, the head of the court." After saying this, Marquis Geralds couldn't help but laugh.

"Go to your chief eunuch!" Master Sujiad spat, "Although I am almost 80 years old this year, my body is still a living dragon."

"Then when the mission of this mission is over, I invite you to have a drink at the Midnight Waltz in Sicily?" Marquis Jerome laughed, walked to the fireplace, found a chair and sat down, "Master Sugard, Have you had dinner yet?"

The old red-robed scholar also walked over and sat down. He shook his head slightly and said, "No, the bell for evening prayer hasn't rung yet, and I don't plan to go down to have a meal together."

"That's great, I'm also going to have a casual bite here." Marquis Jerome said, picking up a small silver bell from the low table beside him, and shaking it twice.

The crisp and melodious ringing of the bell is no louder than the crackling of the flames in the fireplace, and it is difficult to hear it even standing far away in the room. However, the bell rings for at most 1 minute. A man in a plain white robe with a sun The young man from Shenhui walked in quickly from the door.

"Lord of Glory, Flandala, what are your orders from the two honored guests?"

"Praise the light of the golden sun, devout believers, please bring two dinners for me and Master Sugard. And tell Cardinal St. Bogdan that we will not participate in the communion ceremony held in the Great Cathedral at night."

"I will always praise you, and I am happy to serve you." The trainee pastor bowed and left quickly.

Master Sugard watched the trainee priest leave, and a sharp light flickered in his eyes, "It seems that the Shining Temple attaches great importance to our mission, and these 'trainee priests' are the elites of the younger generation of the Shining Temple. , at least have the ability to cast the fifth ring magic."

"Indeed." Marquis Geralds nodded affirmatively, "This time we received far more welcome than the one five years ago, when Cardinal Enoch Sebasta personally led us on a pilgrimage, and we never received such a welcome." treatment."

"If the Guangyao Temple can really know the strength of Northern Border County, then it's not surprising that we get such treatment." Master Sugard commented, "But I don't think they know, or at least they won't know the whole thing. And five years Compared with the formerly powerful Arthur Kingdom, the current Arthur Kingdom is devastated and full of wars, and the abnormally enthusiastic attitude of the Radiant Temple makes people feel puzzled."

"You're right, their attitude is too enthusiastic." Marquis Jeros spread his hands, "Take my 'old friend' Cardinal St. Bogdan as an example. Five years ago we really I met him once, but his attitude at that time was frighteningly indifferent, and he always put on a haughty look that seemed to stain his soul even if he talked a few more words with the worldly people. Up to ten sentences, but this time it is different, there are more than ten times more words just for greetings."

Footsteps were heard outside the door, and Marquis Jellosh and Master Sugard immediately stopped talking and turned their heads to look.The trainee pastor just now came back carrying a large wooden tray, followed by his companion, who was carrying a steaming jar in his hand.

The two trainee priests silently placed the dinners on the table near the fireplace. Different from the gorgeous and luxurious room decoration, the three meals in the Radiant Temple were unusually simple.There is a thick soup made of plant roots, a gruel made of grains and beans, a salad made of cabbage, cucumber and tomato, and the main food is oat bread and baked pumpkin pie dusted with powdered sugar.

The dinner I had with His Majesty Pope Nicholas three days ago didn’t even add to the dishes. In contrast, today’s dinner had at least one piece of meat—a pork chop that was coated with fried powder and then fried into a golden brown color. It exudes a mouth-watering fragrance, but it is only the size of a palm.

The Marquis of Jellosh couldn't help swallowing his saliva, Father God knew how long it had been since he had a decent meal.It is impossible to carry complex cooking ingredients on the alchemy flight ship. In fact, during the three-day and two-night journey, the members of the Kingdom Mission ate sausages, dry rusks and hard cheese like the crew, and even if everyone could share A glass of stout with lemon zest and the food was still unpalatable.

Forcibly suppressing the embarrassing thought of asking for a few more steaks, Marquis Jellos waved his hands at the two trainee priests, "Thank you very much, you all go down."

When there were two people left in the room again, Marquis Jellos closed the door tightly and screwed on the lock before returning to his seat. "I'm afraid the negotiation can't be delayed any longer. Master Sugard, according to the plan, tomorrow's negotiation will be held between you and Cardinal St. Belikov. There are only some details left."

Master Sugard's eyes showed worry. He picked up a piece of bread from the plate in front of him, but didn't put it in his mouth. Instead, he broke it into small pieces and soaked it in the thick soup. "Cardinal St. Belikov never hides his dissatisfaction with the Kingdom of Arthur, but he is not hostile. He is a straightforward person who speaks when he has something to say, and he dislikes rhetoric and excuses the most. Among the cardinals, he has the strongest ability to cast divine magic, and is a staunch supporter of His Majesty Pope Nicholas. He has long been kicked out of the cardinal's throne. However, such a person is not considered an opponent or a friend. Too bad."

"My Lord of Glory, Master Sugard, what you said is absolutely right." Marquis Geros nodded vigorously to emphasize his tone, "I'd rather dance face-to-face with that gloomy St. Belikov than If you are willing to say a word to the smiling Saint Bogdando, that is simply torture!"

Master Sugard picked up a piece of pumpkin pie and put it in his mouth. The crispy skin is covered with piping hot sweet fillings. It doesn’t feel bad to eat, “Lord Marquis Jellosh, you haven’t explained why the progress of the negotiations has been accelerated so much. If If I remember correctly, at the end of yesterday, we didn't seem to have talked about the conclusion of the covenant, let alone the joint dispatch of troops and the recapture of the capital."

Marquis Jerome had just forked the steak and put it in his mouth. After hearing Master Sugard's question, even the steak seemed to have become bitter. He chewed hard twice, and then swallowed hard. "This is definitely something we didn't expect. Regarding the conclusion of the covenant, Cardinal St. Bogdan conveyed the opinions of His Majesty Pope Nicholas, saying that although Cardinal St. Nemok lost his soul due to the temptation of the devil However, when he went to the Kingdom of Arthur, the covenant he signed with Her Majesty Queen Fleischer as the head of the Shining Mission was still recognized, so there is no need to talk about it."

"Merkativo, Lord of Wisdom, they actually recognize that covenant?"

"Yes, and it is a clear instruction from His Majesty the Pope."

"That's not even a covenant of equality. It unilaterally stipulates the compensation that many Glory Temples will make."

"That's right, the loss of wealth has been calculated, as long as the negotiation is over, we can take it away directly."

"The covenant stipulates that the Glory Temple shall be mainly responsible for the losses suffered by the Kingdom of Arthur due to the disaster, and publicly apologize!"

"That's right, and it's reiterated again in this covenant."

"They will also send troops for free to help the Kingdom of Arthur regain the capital and expel the demons until the whole territory is restored!"

"It is said that the two knight orders, Hammer of Judgment and Sword of Conviction, are ready to go. Cardinal St. Bogdan also privately revealed that the Temple of Radiance will send two large alchemy flying ships, the Kingdom of God and the Judgment of Light, to join the battle!"

After a brief silence, Master Sugard and Marquis Geros exchanged glances and said in unison, "In the name of the benevolent Father God, there must be something wrong here!"

(End of this chapter)