Time flies by, and in the blink of an eye it has been more than January since I arrived in Southern Europe.
The initial operation on the day we disembarked was a complete failure. The reason is also due to the insufficient number of people. The first batch of knights to arrive is only a few dozen members, and the second batch will not arrive for another week. The shortage of manpower meant that they were unable to pursue them. After being stopped by the cult members, they only caught some small shrimps while the real leaders all ran away.
The Kingdom of Suomir is vast and sparsely populated. In addition, a small-scale rebellion broke out due to religious issues a few months ago. The local lords and royal family were completely unable to spare any troops to assist.
Whether the activities of cultists and the rebellion are independent events or closely related to each other, there is no conclusive evidence in this regard, and some are just some inferences. It's just that as believers, neither Haymelin nor anyone else wants to believe that devout believers will mix with these guys who have deserted the Holy See.
All in all, they could only stay in this small town in Southern Europe for more than a month. Haymelin issued a request for legion infantry assistance, and by advancing overland, more than half of the 3,000 infantrymen also arrived during this time.
Preparations are in full swing and the battle is about to truly begin. However, during their stay, the arriving soldiers were not idle either.
At the beginning of January in Suomir, the snow is falling, making the whole world look as beautiful as a fairy tale.
In the school next to the church, the choir children were singing. They were practicing hymns these days. The uneven voices of the children made the song less solemn and more energetic. Younger children wearing bearskin hats were playing on the snow-covered streets, and their mother, with her arms akimbo and a straight face, told them not to get wet.
"Okay, Miss Leah, don't be angry. When I was a child, I was more naughty than these two young men in your family." A Padrosi soldier holding a snow shovel in his regular uniform persuaded him.
After Haimirin sent a request for help, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince took the form of voluntary registration. Therefore, the people who arrived were all excellent citizens who were full of enthusiasm and willing to help others. They had received a padrosian elite education and were loyal to their beliefs. They would not accept the favor of a meal and a night with peace of mind, so in return they began to spontaneously do other things for them. The townspeople do some chores.
"Ah, thank you for your hard work." After noticing Haymelin's arrival, the woman spoke to him in Lamani.
"Hey, Captain!" The soldier also waved in this direction, his expression relaxed and not formal. This is usually natural for people who are familiar with the style of the Silver Guard Knights.
Contrary to Padrosi, the people here are not enthusiastic.
Just like the constant cold all day long, the people living on this land are delicate and humble in their hearts. They don't like loud shouting and don't need many celebrations and parties.
Everyone just lives their own lives like this. There is no need to talk endlessly, but every word and action is simple and true. Like a bonfire burning quietly to provide warmth; like a bowl of thick soup made from freshwater cod, paired with delicious reindeer meat and mashed potatoes, people just enjoy the company quietly.
"Your Excellency, Mr. Head, you got up so early today -" More residents saw Haimirning's arrival, and they greeted them: "You won the sauna competition yesterday. I can't tell you are a paragon." A Drossi man. If you learn the Suomir language again, you will be an authentic Suomir with this name!" They smiled like this, and Haimirning waved his hands and walked out of this period. street.
A sudden cold wind blew by, but it was nothing to the people who had long been accustomed to all this. The sound of "swish, swish, swish" came, and legionnaires walked out from the street on the left carrying snow shovels in neat steps. These were Padrosi people who volunteered to help clear the snow. Their actions won the hearts of the townspeople in Southern Aurora. Although many people joked that they were more like handymen than an army, they never harbored any grudges themselves.
"The progress of society is not just about the efficient operation of the institutions in charge of functions. It is about the improvement of the overall level of awareness of citizens. For example, if a fire breaks out and everyone is waiting for the firefighters to arrive, they feel that it has nothing to do with them; if someone falls ill and collapses on the street but does not Anyone knows how to give first aid; if everyone only minds their own business, then I think this kind of society is wrong, and it is not what I expect the empire to look like." - "On the Future of Padrosi" He Mes gesu seksiyutu.
He is a great man.
Anyone can easily come to this conclusion.
Crown Prince Hermes was the talent Padrosi needed in a time of peace, and the empire he conceived and worked to build was epitomized by these people who came as volunteers.
His wish was so beautiful that it shone like ice and snow in the sun.
"Good morning, Captain." The soldiers who came over smiled and nodded at him, and he replied: "Thank you for your hard work."
"Dang-dang-" The bells in the distance echoed throughout the city. "Ah - it's breakfast. I'm hungry. I'm hungry." The soldiers quickened their pace. Haymelning turned around following the sound and immediately saw the bronze clock hanging at the highest point of the church - it is said that this is the same set as the one in the Lakeside Church in Northern Aurora.
Heinzwomsee church.
The place that shares his name.
He wanted to take a look, but he didn't have the time recently. Maybe this idea can be realized after the cultists are eliminated, but what should we do once we get there.
To be honest, he was starting to feel a little confused at this moment.
For so many years, he kept moving forward just because of the other person's words. Now, despite external help, he has ascended to the throne of the leader of the Silver Guard Knights at a young age. Is this considered to have fulfilled the original agreement? What to do next?
Maybe after meeting each other, we can have the answer to continue? Haymelin did not know this.
He had never been a man who longed for many things.
From the perspective of others, this young man does look like the typical impression people have of the Suomir people: tall, taciturn, or somewhat dull, and not good at expressing his emotions.
But this is not confusion caused by ignorance of the world.
But knowing that it is too much.
The world of children is cruel and simple. Even after they grow into teenagers, they will not immediately lose those feelings and become mature.
Haimirning is deeply aware of the horror of human beings.
In his short life of more than 20 years, he has not seen many beautiful things. Due to his background, there were more obstacles than smooth roads on his way forward. Even now that he has become the leader, he has inevitably become a thorn in the side of some people because of his smooth career without actively making enemies.
The same is true for the legionnaires summoned this time for help. They were supposed to be an organized regular army, but they eventually evolved into a volunteer army that voluntarily signed up. There is something fishy about this, and he has a lot of experience with the bad parts of human nature. He can figure out the answer without using his brain.
Growing up in such an environment, it is impossible not to become a pessimist.
In Haymelning's view, everything in the world will deteriorate - no matter how good the original intention is, once someone starts to mix their own selfish desires into it, everything will begin to deteriorate. The empire's political circles are a masterpiece. People here smile but hide their knives. If you don't keep an eye on it, it's not surprising that your throat will be cut one night. He had no intention of getting involved in all this, but he could no longer escape.
At first, I moved forward because of an agreement. Now that I have ascended to this position, I am pushed by life to move forward.
He needs to be responsible for these people. Because the Silver Guards are in the limelight, more and more people are unhappy with them. And those other noble knights don't do practical things. There is much that needs to be done and many obstacles that stand in the way. Under this pressure, Haymelin grew rapidly, and his ability to absorb knowledge from all aspects surprised many acquaintances and friends.
But this is just survival instinct, not what he wants.
Even he himself doesn't know what he wants.
In this birthplace of the church, in this place closest to God, his prayers were not answered.
"What are you thinking about? Let's go eat." Heimirning was woken up from his deep thoughts when he was patted on the back. Liccardo tilted his neck towards him and motioned for them to walk towards the church together.
The places where the Knights stayed were near the church. They have no real stronghold and can only rely on the people and the church to provide help. Originally, they had agreed to station themselves in the nearby Lord Suomir's castle, but they changed their minds after arriving locally. This is expected. Although theoretically the Suomir and the Padrosi have a common enemy, the other side is still wary because of their long-standing hostile relationship.
Most of the people welcomed them very much. After hearing that they were coming to the Silver Guard, a knightly order that could be called the Sword of the Church, they, the same loyal believers, seemed very happy.
The nobles can only say that they are the same everywhere. Fortunately, with the support of the church and the people, they at least have a foothold. The eating place is naturally located in the church, together with the clergy.
But before entering the church, Haymelin was stopped.
"Mr. Leader, I have your letter." The person waiting at the door of the church was wearing a light postman's uniform with a feather in his hat. There is also a fast horse beside him.
"Is it the royal seal? It seems to belong to His Highness the Crown Prince, so I'll go and grab a seat first!" After confirming that he had received the letter, the postman performed a simple courtesy and turned around to leave on horseback, while Liccardo took another photo He touched Haimirning's shoulder and pulled away first.
The relationship between him and the crown prince was actually somewhat speculated by a few senior members of the group who were close to him, including the former group leader. But Haimelning himself was still in a complicated state of mind and had no intention of speaking out yet, so they did not force him.
"..." He stared at the high-grade rice paper envelope for a long time. Then he put the letter in his pocket and read it later.
That person is the person I have always wanted to find.
Three months after rescuing him, the Crown Prince came to the door and told him the fact.
But even though such a long time has passed, even though this person is indeed an extremely good and great person, he still has difficulty crossing the hurdle in his heart.
To say it is hatred may not be appropriate.
Hemelning is just not used to it, and he doesn't know how to deal with this character who was absent from his previous life.
He was used to being alone.
I'm used to being alone.
Having lived alone for nearly twenty years, now that he has grown up, his desire to fill the empty space in his heart is no longer as strong as it was when he was a child.
Not like father and son, maybe more like friends with some differences in age and experience. Maybe being calm and spending some time getting to know each other is the right way to go.
In any case, after several years, especially after seeing the Crown Prince's busy schedule and hard work on this recent matter, the relationship between the two has improved to some extent. In the exchange of letters, they also found that they had more and more things in common with each other. Haimirning's thirst for knowledge led the Crown Prince to search for many books for him, and by reading these, he gradually began to summarize some of his own ideas.
The aroma of food wafted from the door, interrupting Hemelning's thoughts.
"Ah, Captain, you are here!" A young voice sounded from the front, and Haimirning looked over. The entire hall was crowded with people, soldiers and knights mixed together, as well as civilians and monks. People talked in a low tone without breaking the order of this sacred place. Although there were many people, there was none of the chaos and vulgarity of a country tavern.
In the winter, Suomir needs to light bonfires day and night to keep the interior warm. The fire is rising in the huge semicircular fireplace, and the servants gather around and make the best use of it to grill sausages. The soldiers, who had been busy clearing snow all morning, were hungry and needed large portions of food to satisfy them since morning.
There was a sound of "Bang -", and the little girl in nun's clothes who had just spoken placed the wooden basin containing a large pile of rye bread heavily on the long table because of the difficulty. "The wrist is not injured, Alya." Hemelning said with concern.
"It's okay, I'm very powerful." Alia raised her head and showed a big smile: "Aurora's children have been able to be independent since they were six years old, and I am also a nun of the church!" She said this, and next to her Erica, who was eating bread, added lightly: "Novice nun--" she said, and Alya snorted: "I don't listen to the words of the guy who eats and drinks." Then he turned around and strode towards the kitchen.
"Come and sit down here." Erica waved towards Haimirning. At the same table with her were Ricardo, Gedo and others.
"You need to eat enough, Master of the Knights. We have received accurate news. It's time to set off." Erica said while tearing open the dry and hard black bread and dipping it in the soup to soften it.
"Finally, I was run away by these guys last time, and I won't let him go this time." Ricardo clapped his fists, looking very motivated.
————
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"Ha-hu-"
The wind and snow were falling, and even though Xifink's magic moon had risen, the surroundings were by no means bright.
"The bleeding has stopped! Damn, hold on, you bastard." Liccardo's roar sounded behind him, his hair stuck to his face, and his eyes exposed from the gap exuded a wolf-like ferocity. color.
"You fart... I won't fucking die..." Gedo, who was lying on the ground, said in a weak voice. His mail was covered with blood, and his armor was covered with blood. The leather on the outside was torn to pieces by something, and after the steel pieces riveted to it came apart, the thing tore the cotton armor apart.
But the physical injuries were only minor, and Gedo's entire right arm was covered in blood. The felt of the cotton armor and the torn chain mail rings were mixed with flesh and blood, and the still intact palms had frozen into a purple-black color due to being placed in the snow.
"Are my hands... useless..." He desperately tried to hold himself up, but Liccardo pushed him back.
"Elevate your feet. You've lost too much blood and can't stand up now. There's insufficient blood supply to the brain. Once the shock passes, I can't be saved. Cough cough cough cough cough cough cough cough cough cough cough cough cough cough cough cough cough cough cough." Ricardo covered his mouth and began to cough violently, and Haimirning raised his shield and turned back: "What, can we move?" He said. The group was now at a pass, with steep cliffs next to it. And it was unclear whether the pursuers behind him had escaped in the blizzard - staying here was not the right answer, but Gedo's situation was obviously not suitable for movement - Liccardo covered his mouth and shook his head.
"What should we do, captain?" The equally tired knight next to him looked at Haimirning, waiting for his answer.
The ships coming to Suomir could not carry horses. The local nobles were uncooperative, and only a small group of their war horses came over land. All of them were distributed by Heimernin to the scouts, and these scouts have now been separated.
For a team with all members carrying a load of more than 25 kilograms, walking alone without horses is already tiring. Coupled with mountain climbing, fighting, and cold weather, many people were now beginning to feel weak and drowsy.
"You are too arrogant." The words of the cultist magister who was surrounded a few hours ago still echoed in his ears.
"Stupid Imperials."
"You only believe in man-made false gods. You know nothing about the power of the true God and us as God's dependents."
"ridiculous."
"This is an existence that is older and darker than the gods you believe in."
"You immature and weak Imperial Knights, even if you exhaust your imagination, you may not be able to understand what you are about to face."
"Hahahahahaha--"
He laughed maniacally, then loudly repeated the same words in some ancient language.
When they reacted, the knights had already started to fight each other with their swords.
The magic of controlling the mind - these guys actually possess such secret skills -
Haimirning and his party, who were divided into two groups, did not know what happened to Erica, and they were attacked by the undead amidst the frantic attack by their own people. It's just that this time the undead are far from the dead animals that could be seen everywhere in the past, but something darker and more terrifying.
They seem to be born for fighting, moving quickly and delivering deadly blows.
And difficult to kill.
The spear broke when thrust into it. Even if it penetrated the body, the wound would heal immediately as soon as it was pulled out.
With its full brute strength, it can shatter a basswood shield with one blow and throw a 100-kilogram knight away. Without horses to mount their guns and charge, they were unable to distance themselves or use their mobility and impact to defeat their opponents. Infantry combat was overwhelmed by his physique, and his armor could not withstand the brute force.
After the leather armor riveted with steel bars was torn, all that was left was the protection of soft chain mail and cotton armor.
The cushion tried its best to protect the armor, but almost all of the remaining knights were still injured. Most of them were scrapes and bruises, and a few were fractures and dislocations.
covered in wounds.
These guys are more terrifying than imagined. They are not afraid and even face death crazily. Even when the magician summoned these monsters, he paid the price with his own body falling apart.
It was the result of over-extracting one's own magic power. The entire human body was distorted and decomposed from the inside.
How painful this process is is unimaginable to ordinary people. However, under the noon sun, Haimelning and the surrounding knights could clearly see his crazy face until the moment it was torn apart by his own violent magic. And with a smile.
The firm belief of these cultists and their decisiveness in sacrificing their lives are horrifying.
What happened to the troops on Erica's side? Hemelning did not have time to think about this, because they were already unable to protect themselves at the moment.
With the crazy troops and various monsters running around, they didn't even know how many of their own people survived.
Along with Haimirning, there were only more than thirty senior members who still maintained their sanity, and these people were all injured and exhausted physically and mentally. Especially Gedo, who single-handedly killed two monsters. The price he paid was not obvious, but he also summed up a set of effective solutions.
Melee slashing.
Those monsters have a core point, located in the chest, but they are protected by thick bone plates. The core point is some kind of powerful magic that can repair tissue, so the stabbing effect is not good. As long as the weapon is drawn out, the repair will start immediately.
If they can only fight with them until all their magic power is consumed and they cannot regenerate, the knights will definitely lose. Therefore, the best way is to chop and amputate the limb with a melee weapon, and then kick the severed part away. After a while, it will naturally become necrotic and cannot be repaired.
But a knight's sword, which is only one meter long, is not a suitable weapon, which is why Gedo was injured so seriously. If you have to get close to attack, you will put yourself in danger.
"My right hand is... useless..." Even though he was an upright man, he almost looked like he was about to cry when he said this.
"No, don't fucking give up. We will find a way out." Liccardo looked at his hands that were frozen purple-black and obviously necrotic, gritted his teeth and looked at Heimerning.
"Move." Haymelning and Liccardo nodded at the same time, and the two knights immediately took off their shields and used their spears to make a simple stretcher. Gedo's right hand hung weakly to the side. He could no longer even make a sound of pain. He could only feel the heat in his body losing a little bit in the blizzard.
"Put it on him." Hemelning took off his cloak, and Liccardo picked up Gedo's hand and placed it on his chest, then covered him with the wool cloak.
"Captain, there is light ahead!"
"Everyone be on alert, I don't know if it's the enemy or -"
"It's a lantern, it seems to be a nearby villager."
"Haimernin, Gedo fainted!"
"Hamilning?" The voice that sounded was that of a woman. She raised the lantern and illuminated the people in front of her.
"Bishop-level clothing, you are——"
"Sani...Ya." Haimirning lowered the sword in his hand.
"Roar——" Something roared in the wind and snow behind him.
"It's the light of the lantern, it saw it too!"
"Come with me quickly!" Sania ran over and took Haimirning's hand.
Then everyone ran forward together.
