I Am Louis XIV

   The Veil of the World in Chapter 112 (5)

The vicious werewolves miraculously turned their backs in this unjust battle, much to the hiss of the wizards, who, unlike mortals, waved their hands and threw little spells that might be like stingers or stones. The block, although not very dangerous, powerfully inspired the wildness of the last manticore, tangled with the werewolf, tumbling in the dust, struggling to bite the other's throat or spine, It's just that even in this savage fight, the werewolf turned from defeat to victory by virtue of his own wisdom - he changed from a giant wolf to a human again, and when he stood up from the ground, he held the stinger of the manticore in his hand, and he looked down. Holding his hand, the blackened skin indicated that he was also poisoned, but the manticore lying on the ground, dying, was the sting's biggest victim.

He threw away the stinger he picked up on the roll and looked at his "master", hoping the guy would keep his promise, but the wizard just turned indifferently and asked the audience to determine the fate of the winner, the audience paused for a moment Yes, they will keep throwing gold or silver coins to the owner of the arena instead of the werewolf. This is also the way of sentencing inherited from the ancient Romans. If they want the werewolf to live, then they will throw the coins to the werewolf, but if they think This werewolf needs more opponents, and will throw coins to the owner of the arena.

Louis felt a little irritable. With the convenience of his location, he could see every cold or excited face. He knew the feeling, whether he stabbed Felipe Mancini himself, or he was in the rebel's Signing a death sentence and being able to fiddle with another person's orders is a delightful and addictive affair, and for the wizards here, too, Louis is about to summon Luca, but is unconsciously confronting the werewolf. When he saw it, the familiar feeling came again. He saw the werewolf suddenly widen his eyes, then suddenly raised his hand, making a gesture of help, and then a name jumped into the king's memory.

At this time, the new three manticores have been put into the arena, but Louis's box is suddenly opened - if the gladiator is not a werewolf, he may not be able to find it for a while, but he is a werewolf, which means he has a keen sense of smell , at the moment when the barrier opened, he smelled the scent of agarwood and myrrh, and he immediately ran towards Louis, followed by the manticore, but when the manticore closest to him rushed up, he also He has already jumped, clambered on the platform of the box, and climbed up.

  The spell of Luca and Tuno hit the werewolf immediately, and he screamed, his fur was charred, but he was still alive.

   After a while, the owner of the arena also arrived. At first, he thought that the spell was invalid, and then he realized that the box was opened by the guests. Needless to say, Duke Luca de Colonna bought the werewolf.

   He was none other than Clayland.

Clayland's presence here surprised Louis, although the werewolf was also surprised at why the French king was here, but he wisely didn't ask a single question, but he was neat and clean again, like a While sitting like that with Louis in a secret tavern, Louis asked, "Why are you in this place? Mr. Clayland."

As far as he knows, the situation of King Charles II of England is not very good. He also proposed to marry the niece of Bishop Mazarin but was rejected. He wandered between several countries, except for France, other royal families did not Without the sadness of the rabbit and the fox, they are more interested in having a good relationship with Cromwell, the powerful protector of the country.

   "Perhaps you don't know," Cleland said. "Cromwell is dead, Your Majesty."

   "Oh!" This Louis really didn't know: "May God forgive that madman," he said: "Does this have anything to do with your presence here?"

   "I don't know if there are any," Cleland raised his glass and gulped down the spirit inside. "The only thing I can be sure of is that he doesn't need us anymore."

   It seems that he has indeed encountered a lot of things, "Is there anyone else in the arena?"

  Claylan showed an embarrassed look: "If possible, Your Majesty, I have eleven companions."

  Louis nodded and told Luca to do it: "What are you going to do next?"

"Do you need a werewolf? Your Majesty?" Cleilan stared at him: "Although I don't know how you became a wizard, the warriors who stay by my side are all warriors, Your Majesty, we just need a place to stay - as long as If you are willing to show mercy, we are yours."

"I'm not a wizard." Louis said, to say that even Paris has room for these werewolves, he did not forget that Bishop Mazarin said that there were originally a group of werewolves in the suburbs of Paris, but they were later attacked by foreigners who wanted to assassinate him. The werewolves were slaughtered.

   "Aren't you?" Clayland's surprise was not disguised, "Isn't it you who opened the barrier?"

  Louis was stunned for a moment, and then he realized that neither Luca nor Tuno could open the barrier of the box without permission, and he was indeed eager to rescue Breland.

"You were a mortal when I left Paris," Brayland said. "And I heard before that you were assassinated in Dunkirk. Did you suddenly transform into a wizard? You are far older than The general age of alien wizard transformation, but the talent you show is also extraordinary, if you have a credible mentor..." The werewolf looked around and smelled: "I believe you will, I heard them say You are Your Highness, and the title of the world is not recognized in the inner world, so that means that you are also prominent here, so your growth will be very fast."

"But I didn't think about becoming a wizard." Louis did not clearly say that he was able to infiltrate the inner world with the use of the sacred artifact of the blood race, "I may be returning to the outer world soon, and I will do what you think. Consider—I'll ask Luca to arrange a place for you, and then we'll decide."

   Although Brayland didn't understand why Louis firmly denied his identity as a wizard, he didn't say much, just stood up, bowed to Louis, and walked out slowly.

After he left, Louie raised his hand, he didn't quite understand how he did it, there was no wind, strange smell or so-called heat from inside his body, he didn't even realize that he was breaking it by himself After reaching the barrier, he stretched out his finger and tapped the candlestick on the table, "Fire," he said, but nothing happened.

The king couldn't help laughing, maybe Luca or Tuno sensed his thoughts, maybe he opened the barrier, he got up from his chair and walked towards the door, and just here, a little light passed his way. Out of the corner of his eye, Louis turned slowly.

  The whole candle, even the bronze candlestick, was burning.

  ———

As soon as Louis returned to his palace, he saw Marie, and her eyes brightened at the sight of the king, and at the same time she gave a sweet smile: "My dear," she said: "I am in the arena. I heard," She took Louis's arm: "As I thought, you will become a very powerful wizard."

   "I don't understand," said Louie, looking around to make sure there was no one else: "Isn't the power I present borrowed from Colonna?"

"That's why I said that you will become a powerful wizard," Mary said enthusiastically: "I have also seen the real Duke of Colonna, and I can only say that it is mediocre. The barrier of the arena is not a wizard like him. It can be broken by mood swings alone, you know what that means? It means that you are a fertile ground, and Colonna's blood is only a seed, and you, not Colonna, made it bloom."

   "And," she added, "you haven't been taught and systematically studied by your tutor. When you learn, you will become a wizard that even the Mancini family can't underestimate."

Louis didn't answer, he turned his head sideways and observed Mary, since returning to the inner world, the little witch was like a fish in water, she was wearing a velvet dark red robe, flat shoes, and a huge hood hanging behind her, and she kept reaching out and casting some magic weapons. Playful little magic.

Groups of goblins were attracted by her luminous fingertips, and because of the small hurricane she set off, they screamed and screamed. .

"This is Mr. Murfa." Mary introduced to him that the wizard was the enlightener Mary found for him. He was an old man with a short white beard, holding a staff and wearing a black robe. , the pointed hat fits wonderfully with the wizard in people's impressions.

   He bowed to Louis. Although his gesture was not so flattering, he was probably the first wizard Louis had ever seen in the inner world without that weird sense of arrogance.

   "I think I should thank you well, my good Mary," said Louie, "but can I talk to him first?"

   "Certainly," Mary said. "If you don't like him, I have two more options here."

   "I think this gentleman is good enough," said Louie.

  ————

   At Louis's request, Luca served tea and left, leaving only him and the strange wizard in the room.

The sorcerer bowed his head slightly to Louis, then waved his staff. Although he didn't know what kind of spell he cast, the room suddenly became quiet - "It's a sound-blocking spell, Your Majesty." Murphy Say.

   "Looks like you do have something to say to me."

"Well, I saw Vesalius," said Murfa. "I also heard something from Marie, thank you for your kindness, Vesalius... I can only say that he is too simple, too stubborn. , whether he is a wizard or not, this weakness is fatal."

   "You are from Vesalius..."

"I am Mary and his teacher. I have served the Mancini family almost my whole life. I have no son, Your Majesty, and no heir. I thought I would have students, but I didn't expect... Vesalius' father is not like him. So, I mean, naive, but Varo Vesalius..." He shook his head, "I taught him potions, spells, and ancient writing, but I failed to teach him anything more important."

   "He should have been young when he left here."

   "Indeed," said Murfa: "Young, love and arrogance enough to blindfold his eyes, cover his ears, and confuse his mind."

   "It's a pity he's still like that now," said Louie. "I have to say, Mr. Murfa, that he's let me down."

   "I see what you mean," said Malfa. "You'd better have a more mature and reliable wizard by your side."

  Louis smiled: "Are you recommending yourself?"

   "Of course, this is not an easy opportunity. If I was in the world, I wouldn't even be allowed to come to you."

   "As a wizard, you are too arrogant."

   "There are too few people in the world who can see themselves clearly, Your Majesty, and self-knowledge is my greatest strength."

   "You came here, isn't it the Mancini family's inspiration?"

   "They sent them, I just pushed the boat."

   "So how can I trust you?"

   "I do things for you, you just need to see the results."

   "What do you think I need you to do?" Louis said, "Teaching magic?"

  Merfa smiled and looked at the king: "I don't think you want to stay in the inner world and want to become a wizard - a wizard is also a servant of the king. You are already on the top of the throne, why are you willing to fall?"

   "You're self-deprecating, your words are really sharp." Louie said: "Maybe every wizard except you thinks it's a great honor and gratitude to be a wizard."

   "Like Mary?"

   "Like Mary," said Murphy. "Poor little girl, stupid little girl."

   "So what do the Mancinis think?"

"They are afraid of you, Your Majesty." Melpha said calmly under Louis' suddenly stern gaze: "They are very ambitious, you know, in an increasingly narrow world, the huge body of the Mancini family can even It is difficult to turn around. Even if they keep branching off, it is still full of branches and leaves. They want to stretch out, but they don’t want to give up too much. All their power in the inner world is as important as the outer world. Yes, they are very eager, you know."

"The problem is they're not smart." Murfa went on to say, "They...you see, from Felipe to Marie, their natures are either vicious or kind, but the Mancini family, just like any other big family. , The pyramid tip of the inner world has been entrenched for hundreds of years, and their children are born above everyone else, and they are destined to achieve something."

   This sentence made Louis smile gloomily.

   "Therefore, Your Majesty," said Murfa, "they had a terrible idea when they found you to be a man of resolute temperament and unmanageable character."

  " Louis lowered his eyes: "Bishop Mazarin would not let them do such a thing. "

   "Yes," said Murfa, "your bishop made it very clear that if something happened to you, everyone in the Mancini family would be sent to the stake by him to be burned alive."

  Louis thought of Felipe Mancini, "That's why he was so reckless."

The   Mancini family desperately needed a chip they could hold in their hands.

   "Then," Louis asked after a moment of silence, "you should be on the side of the Mancini family."

Malfa laughed silently, then looked out the window, as if he didn't want the King to see his face, "I admit that my confession was too risky, maybe because I'm tired of it too, Your Majesty, guess where I came from When did you decide to play for the Mancini family?"

He didn't wait for Louis to answer, and said as if to himself: "In fact, I never made any decision, since I was a baby, I was doomed to be a potionist, and there was no choice. , because the other positions have been occupied and cannot be shaken, I have my own hobbies, my own ideas, my own desires, my own specialties, but for the Mancini family, they only need a mellow of the potions Law, if I'm not, then I'm nothing - my father and grandfather thought so, even though I was far more skilled and gifted in magic than potions - and when I was twenty, they decided to I have a wife."

The older wizard turned his gaze back: "Varo Vesalius is lucky in that he does have a wife he likes, and they love each other, but I don't, I have someone I like, and we have similar interests. , right, but no, because she wasn't the one designated - so I made a little revolt, you see, I have no offspring, yes, I'm a wizard, and a potionist, just like you met Yes, Potions and Curses, I admit that I feel terribly sorry for my wife that I didn't allow her to have children, and she was lonely and resentful all her life.

   But I don't want to have another Malfa, children of slaves, always slaves, although they have the name of employees, but for those people, it is like that, Your Majesty, we are not human. "

   "I heard that there is a House of Lords and a House of Commons," asked Louis. "Do they still behave like the Romans?"

"The House of Lords is the senate inherited from the ancient Romans," said Murfa. "As for the House of Commons, although nominally they should speak for the commoner wizards, they are just the mouthpieces used by the House of Lords to control the commoners at the bottom. With eyes and ears, there are always people who are willing to believe the members of the House of Commons, thinking that they can speak for those humble people, but they don’t know that they are just a group of dressed up animals.”

   "They did inherit a lot," Louie said. "The gladiatorial arenas, the Houses and the seemingly prosperous territories, do they still give out bread and beer on a regular basis?"

   "That was true over a hundred years ago, but they rarely do that these days, and you see, the number of wizards here is staggering."

  Louis remembered the crowds rubbing shoulders in the seven divisions, and the shouting like a tsunami in the arena: "Will the commoner wizards be willing to bear it?"

"The cornerstone city wall of the inner world was only thirty feet at first, and now it is ninety-two feet, and it may continue to grow. The power of those big families is too great, their descendants, collaterals, in-laws - and what they have accumulated for a long time. The magic and wealth that came down, and the power—and…”

"and?"

"And the inner world is not safe. Your Majesty, werewolves, vampires, and other dark creatures are always eyeing... I can only say that if they are not allowed to enter the ring castle, the life of ordinary wizards will be very difficult." , Murfa added with a smile: "Of course, a palace like this is another matter."

  The room was silent for a moment.

   "I really want to know more," Louie said, "but I don't have much time."

   "Yes, I heard that you are still in bed," Murfa said: "But France does not need a king who cannot govern."

  ———

  Paris.

   Philip the Duke of Anjou savagely threw a fine and luxurious coat on the ground, and then pierced it with a sword.

   (end of this chapter)