It was still dark. The maid Namei closed the curtains nervously, and the tassels rubbed on the carpet and caught the decoration on her shoes.
Delphine yawned and pulled himself out of the down and silk quilt. This year's Darkest Moon occurred earlier than before, and the weather was also extremely bad. More than a dozen villages were flooded by heavy snow, and the last crops were destroyed by frost. Another town was attacked by monsters. Sir Nedon worked overtime to deal with the affairs, arranging the Silver Eagle Knights to defend the village and distribute relief supplies. In the end, these documents had to be personally reviewed by Lord Lancaster. At least it was until I got married.
Name brought firewood. She held the lamp in one hand and the flint in the other. With a "crack" sound, the new firewood glowed orange-red. The maid blew fiercely, and flames rose up, igniting the fireplace.
"Sir, do you want to take a bath?"
"Let's have breakfast first." It was too cold in the ice field, so Danlfien developed the habit of taking a hot bath after getting up and before going to bed. Black Moon Castle is a black iceberg. People who live in it all year round can only get rid of the cold air that penetrates inside and outside. "Get the hot water ready."
Ansa prepared lemon toast and a plate of sliced beef in sauce for her, paired with magic peas with a unique taste. It is said that the beans are grown on trees and were cultivated by druids using spells and cider from tree fairies. Delphine asked her what the tree elf was. The ice witch cut out a finger-sized villain from paper, with a green leaf-shaped hole on its chest.
The witch took a hair and passed it through the leaves at its heart. The little man stood up lightly, leaving sticky traces on the table with his two paper feet. It walked and jumped and made many funny postures, which made Delphine laugh. Finally the little man bowed to her, flew over the dining table like a butterfly, and threw himself into the fireplace. The flames jumped to the ground.
"This is a small race of oil rubber humans." Ansa said, "They are a branch of the forest race, born in..."
"...Grease oozing from oak bark?" Delphine continued.
"That's it. People call the little oil-rubber people tree goblins, but they are not real goblins, they are tree people."
"Then are they elves?"
"Of course not. Tree people are tree people, Your Highness. Among the forest races, there are some people who are the incarnations of trees. After all, trees are different from tree to tree."
Delphine stuffed a spoonful of beans into his mouth and took another sip of water. "Are there fairies among the forest races?"
"Yes, there are spring water fairy nymphs, people always call them spring water goddesses. There are also brown fairies, also called brown fairies, which are actually fairies. And grass seed fairies can be seen everywhere."
"so much?"
"There are very few of them anymore. Some people have only seen grass-seed fairies in their lives. These low-level creatures are elemental beings that can thrive until now. The other fairies: nymphs only have legends, and brown fairies are secretive and distributed in countless places. In a land of humans, they don’t even like the forest races... Oh, there is a kind of brownie, they are food fairies, if Your Highness is interested, I can find them for you."
"Food?" Delphine was startled.
"The food goblin is a mysterious creature." Ansa told her, "If you bite off its belly - a piece of strawberry or cream, it will grow back on its own. Of course, it won't work if you eat too much at once."
Can this thing feed the poor people in my territory who are waiting for food? Delphine wanted to ask. Many things that mysterious creatures disdain can solve urgent needs in the eyes of mortals. But even the earl had to go through the ice witch to get something, so she thought it was better not to speak. The answer is bound to not satisfy her.
The fun story time is over and now comes the sinister reality. "Before bringing the food goblin, let's bring Sir Neden first. Let me hear his report." Danlfion said while cutting the beef. I have to take a shower later.
Na Mei on the side seemed to be startled. "Want to meet Sir Nedon here?" The maid wrung her hands together, "Do you need... uh, I'll get you a napkin..."
"It doesn't matter." Ansa directed her to leave and go to receive Fae Lancost, Danfion's cousin.
"You have adapted to being my head maid, Ansa. Do you ice witches have other professions?"
"It is an honor to serve the lord,
Especially for Berti's Norn. "The ice witch replied. "I'm ready, sir."
Just then, Hope led Sir Nedon to the dining room. He himself pretended to excuse himself, as if he were really a guard. Maybe he can see through Ansa's magic because he is the Nameless One. The nameless one's fire is more sensitive than ordinary mysterious creatures, and can detect many subtle mysteries. But that's not the case with Ser Nedon. He is only a human being, just like the earl. Few nobles are willing to risk their lives to light the fire. The so-called son of a rich man cannot sit down in court. Anyway, everyone can rely on mysterious items to extend their life.
"My lord." Sir Neddon saluted, his expression motionless.
Ansha blinked quietly, indicating that Danlfien could speak.
She was suddenly curious about how she looked to Sir Neden now. "How is the situation?" Danlfion asked while chewing beef, "How are the monsters in Bonfire Town?"
"It's taken care of, my lord. The Silver Eagle Knight killed them easily." Sir Neden said, "By the way, the monster attacked Firespear Town."
"A great victory." Why was the Knight of the Silver Eagle not so capable in Venevoise? Delphien turned to look at his head maid.
"There is a difference between werewolves and monsters, my lord. Besides, those monsters are just large rats that got lost while digging holes and entered the town."
Sir Nedon could not hear the witch speak, but only heard Danlfion's comment. He frowned: "Monsters are just a small trouble. What you should be more concerned about is the food problem, sir."
"Soon the rats will be on the table. This is a solution." Danlfion complained to Ansa. She took a last sip of water to wash away the sour taste of the lemon. It seems that for the Ice Territory, monsters are easier to use than food goblins.
As for Sir Nedon's report, she didn't want to listen any more: "Really? I thought I should be more concerned about the guests in the castle."
"One of them will become the master of the castle, Lord Danlfion. This is also necessary——"
"Stop preaching to me." What do you mean? "I know my responsibility." She softened her tone. Without Sir Neddon, I would have to manage the entire castle and all the territory myself, and I would no longer have time to take a hot bath. "But this time you misunderstood, Sir. The guests I meant were mysterious creatures."
There was silence. Naiden stared at her as if he had accidentally mentioned the toilet at a state banquet. He turned his head away unbearably, trying to avoid some invisible humiliation. Although the situation was wrong, Dandelphine almost laughed out loud.
"They...what's going on with them?" Sir Neden said through gritted teeth.
You came to ask me? Dandelphin really wanted to scold him. You are the acting city lord. She simply couldn't imagine what her life in the Ice Territory would be like without Ansa and Hope. People will call me "deaf and blind Norn". Forget it, Broken Moon doesn't have eyes or ears anyway, so it doesn't make much difference.
But in the end, what she said was: "We have been entertaining guests for a long time, and it will be even longer. In the darkest night, even the lords can't afford the extra mouth. Since these have no... Gods and people take their place. Now that we have Croita, we should also shoulder the responsibilities of the suzerain. For example, we are facing an urgent food problem."
"Negotiating with mysterious creatures? But... no one came to us."
Yes, if Danlfion hadn't locked the city gates of Venevoise in advance and stopped the coalition forces of Order outside the city wall, the secret society and coalition officials would have found us. I really want to see how popular you are.
"With all due respect, my lord." Ser Nedon was so anxious to distance himself from the mysterious creature that he was completely unaware of the earl's contempt. "The Demon Hunting Movement, Byrne and the Seven Fulcrums... After all, the war on the snowfield is a matter in the mysterious realm and has nothing to do with the mortal kingdom. Especially since the tower is closed, Eastman is already a neutral country. But if you make a request to Byrne... …”
neutral. Delphine thought. What does it have to do with the difficulties faced by the Ice Territory? Can I represent Eastman? Ever since she ordered the city to be sealed off to search for werewolves two years ago, Ser Neden had complained countless times. He made it clear that he disapproved of many of the count's decisions, and she found this relative increasingly disgusting.
But in the final analysis, this is just a conflict within the family. The real threat comes from outside: Seven pivots target secret knot
Demon hunting movement initiated by the society.
In fact, the war did not reach Whinney Watts, and the Lancosters were very safe. The two sides fought on the snowy plains of the Ice Territory. The coalition forces were mighty and demons roamed around to attack. For some reason, they made a tacit agreement to bypass Veniworth, as if they didn't want to cause it to suffer any more disasters.
If it meant the only conscience on both sides of the war, it was what Winnie Watts deserved. At the beginning of the war, Danlfien thought about escaping the territory and returning to his mother's four-leaf territory. But the Duke sternly warned her that the earl who abandoned his territory would also lose it. From then on, she would marry a noble as the Duke's daughter, and she would no longer have a choice. "You will be a countess, not an earl," Tracy told her.
It doesn't sound like there's any difference. After all, a noble lady used for marriage is better than a corpse. Besides, who cares about the damn territory? Throughout the year, it snows half the year and melts snow half the year, followed by long dark nights, and we start the year all over again. Delphine has lived the life of a noble lady and can never become her true self. In this way, there is actually no difference between finding someone to marry and dying... No, if I really die, Tracy must She will do her best to praise "the second lord who died defending the territory" at the kingdom meeting, and now the dead can no longer oppose her arrangement.
That night when her mother wrote back, she found no one for comfort. Danlfion Lancost, Earl of Iceland and Norn of Berti, thought of his childhood in Frostleaf Castle. Countless legends and songs, countless secrets and stories gave her heroic fantasies, and eventually taught her to recognize reality. I prayed to my inner hero, but he said, "I have more important things to do"!
We'll see. Delphine thought. Unlike you, I am not a deserter.
But don't run away... In the face of the mysterious fulcrum and secret society, the Ice Territory is as weak as a mortal and has no power to protect itself. After seeing Kamaria, Dandelphin no longer dared to believe in the city wall.
Fortunately, her people support her - if there is any place in the world where you would most want to avoid the sport of demon hunting, it is Veniworth. No matter hunters or demons, the ice leaders do not welcome them. Everyone only trusts the lord. Therefore, Delphine wanted to close the detection station, and Sir Nedon obeyed her orders. She wanted to limit the opening hours of the city, and the guards would only open the iron locks of the gate in the early morning. She strictly prohibited the market from raising prices, and the merchants did so obediently. It turns out that "Berti's Norn" brought me more than just bad things.
Luck was also on her side. After the coalition forces were disbanded, Sir Nedon foresaw that countless mysterious creatures would wander the snowy fields, and suggested that she treat all comers equally, shut them all out, or simply hang them. Dandelphine couldn't make up his mind, but these people hadn't shown up until now, not to mention the chaos they would have caused. There were actually fewer outsiders coming to Winnivas than before the Demon Hunting War, and she couldn't help but thank the gods sincerely.
However, the good times did not last long, and soon, Danlfien learned the reason why Winnie Watts was safe and sound. "According to the inheritance records of the ice witches, the location of Venevas coincided with Kamaria during the Ancestors period." Ansa told her, "Camaria, the capital of the moon, is the capital of the Kingdom of Alanvor... It was also the first stop for the Evil Dragon to invade Knox during the War of Dawn. This is the Gate of Hell."
Dandelphine was in a dream. Evil dragon. Wintherspoon. Dawn of War. It turns out that a more tragic experience than the Year of the Burning Shadow has happened in Weniworth, and it turns out that the Ice Territory is the gate to hell. It's strange, why don't people find "Victor's Norn" to be the Lord of Destiny? She couldn't help laughing, and told the witch Ansa that these were just stories.
Outside of the story, there is neither an evil dragon nor a savior in the Ice Territory, only me.
On the last dark night of the cold moon year, the victor of the demon hunting movement knocked on the city gate. Delphine opened the door to greet them, this time taking Sir Nedon's advice—only half of it, of course. Regardless of whether they are the Alliance of Order or the Demon Society, the Lancoste family treats everyone equally and treats them as guests. Danlfion surrendered to the devil as an earl and recognized Byrne as the mysterious master of the Ice Territory.
This move effectively maintained the peace at Venevoise. Since then, Danelfion has faced no physical threats: the Order forces have ignored her, and the Byrnes have turned a blind eye to the count. Venevoise was not destroyed again, and the people did not have to endure the flames of war.
All her threats come from Tracy and Wang
A warning letter sent by the party in the name of the Queen. However, now that two years have passed, her impenetrable line of defense—the fireplace in the study room of Black Moon Castle—has become quite experienced in dealing with threats. No matter what the royal party thinks, Danlfion is still the Earl of Iceland and the patriarch of the Lancaster family.
…until the tax collector reported that the fields had suffered poor harvests for several years. The damn war still affected the Ice Territory.
Of course, it's more likely that the nights are getting longer. Delphine asked for little enough. If we don't find a way to produce food, I'm afraid rats won't be able to satisfy the millions of mouths in the Ice Territory. It was impossible for the Earl to know the feeling of hunger, but Ansa used the local classics to cast a spell and showed her the dark years recorded in them.
"There were three lords who were killed by the people during the famine. The most recent one was before the founding of Eastman." said the Ice Witch. "People did not punish him with laws, but used him to satisfy their hunger." Delphi En doesn't want to end up like this.
"Tracy's gardener said that the four-leaf collar's support will take another two weeks, but I doubt whether these two weeks will pass before I get married." The earl said, "Is there anything else... okay, gods. All. It is said that the secret society has the size of the mysterious fulcrum, I hope they also have the ability of the mysterious fulcrum.”
Sir Neden frowned: "These gods are secretive and their intentions are unknown... After entering the city, the team disappeared mysteriously... We have no idea where they are hiding. I'm afraid this is a mysterious method."
You still need to say it. "Yes, it's just that the Bain people are also human beings, but they obviously also need to eat." There seems to be no difference between being eaten by the citizens and being eaten by demons, but we can resist the former, but not necessarily the latter. "You can't drink from the northwest wind."
"If you ask me, my lord, I would say that you have too many connections with Byrne. As the Earl of the Kingdom, you should stay away from them."
"Can you help them leave my city, or can you conjure food?"
Sir Neden did not want to get involved with her: "This is not the same thing, my lord. If we maintain the status quo, the royal party will already dislike us! If we continue to cooperate with the unknown people, everything may be irreversible."
"God's people." Danlfion didn't even raise his head. "Go and make your request, Sir. Remember not to make the wrong call. I'll wait for your news."
After the acting city lord left, Ansa served the count to the bath. Heat mist is hazy on the stone bricks, and candles are lit by the pool. Dandelphin took off his cloak and nightgown and threw himself naked into the water. The waves formed an expanding semi-circular arc on the water. She continued to sink, letting the hot water reach her neck.
"Ser Neden will not succeed." Ansa soaked her hair. "Those guests are not nameless people, they are just mortals. At best, they are apprentices who have no knowledge of the mysterious field. In the Byrne Empire, such people are definitely not high-level people."
"It's a real honor that the devil leader sent a mortal to deal with me. At least he didn't send any of his own kind, otherwise I really don't know how to entertain the dead." She muttered, "I'm just asking, I don't really want any results."
"Ser Neden doesn't know that. You always give him a hard time."
"He is eager to get rid of me. This is very obvious to our lord. Especially after I rejected his son's proposal." Sir Neden had five sons. The first two died of illness, and the third and fourth came from Illegitimate, there are countless things to do, and his youngest son, everyone calls him "Confident Grunge". As long as he thought of that boy who exuded the air of a fool, Danfion felt uncomfortable all over. Ruona Dentist Hope’s investigation was right, he is three years younger than me! "It's really strange. If I marry someone else, will he gain anything?"
"This person has his own agenda, but he is your relative after all. What he said makes sense." The head maid brushed away the scattered golden hair and massaged her forehead.
Maybe my mother bribed him. Delphine thought. Before she came of age, Sir Nedon had been managing the Ice Territory for Tracy, and all family affairs, big or small, would be submitted to the Duke's desk without exception. Maybe he still has this habit.
Dandelphin has made his decision. "The royal gang is far away, and I don't think they dare to come here." She changed her position and let Ansha rub her back. "My husband is as far away as the support from the Cloverland...Sooner or later we will have to deal with the Byrnes. Sir Neden can represent my attitude."
"You did this very appropriately." Ansa agreed, "The Nameless One is the incarnation of the devil, and the mystery comes from evil.
Dragon is not an inheritance owned by the orthodox fulcrum. Their methods are unpredictable, so try not to contact them personally unless necessary. "
"This is the moment of necessity, Ansa." Winnie Watts has many hidden dangers that have not been eliminated, including the werewolf that has been harassing her for a long time. The Silver Eagle Knight was good at dealing with a few rats that strayed into the village, but he was powerless against the real mysterious race. And this is only one of the reasons. "Tracy wrote to urge me again," Delphine confided, "asking me to find a suitable person to marry as soon as possible to cope with the royal party's plan. After all, I can't marry two men at the same time. Sir Neden Her son meets her requirements, but I am not her yes man. As for the illegitimate son..."
"The husband arranged for you by the royal party is a mysterious creature, my lord."
"In that case, when I am as old as a crumpled candle, will he still be young?"
"I'm afraid so."
Delphine's face darkened. "Then he can take my place."
"No one can replace you, Danlfion. The Ice Leader only regards him as your husband, and your son will inherit the fief."
The Count felt an unwarranted comfort. It's really interesting. The Ice Territory Territory and people's blind and ignorant love that she hated in the past are now the reasons that support her to the present. If I escape back to the Four-leaf Collar and cry under my mother's skirt, I will have to marry Grunge.
She finally understood the benefits of the title "Earl of Ice" and was ready to keep it. "The royal gang's pressure is too tight, which just gives us a reason to contact Bai En. These demons fight in front of my house, eat and live in my city, and finally watch with cold eyes as I argue with the royal gang and beg for food and grass for the winter. There is nothing like this in the world. Wait for something good to happen! Even if I ask the moths to show off their style, it’s still reasonable.”
"But those guests..."
"Welcome by Ser Nedon. Just a bit of human discussion." Danlfion snorted. If I really communicate with demons, I don’t want to talk to pawns either. Just let Sir Neden show off and intimidate the royal party's possible instigators behind him. "Anyway, even if we pray sincerely, the mysterious realm will not take us seriously. Isn't that the case with Eastman in the tower?" Compared with the unlikely response from the Byrnes, I am still more inclined to get the royal city The rebuke was sent.
But just to let the royal party know, there is no good in pushing me into a hurry... The balance must be carefully grasped. She wiped a large drop of water from her eyelids. "Speaking of which, since the Bain people call their little stronghold a kingdom, they should have a king. You are a mysterious creature, Ansa, how much do you know about the Demon King?"
"The devil," the witch repeated, "the king."
"He hides in the Ice Territory and rules over the demons. That's right, because this is the gate to hell."
"These are two different things." said the Ice Witch. "The city of reflection, Byrne, is in Winnie Watts."
Dandelphine almost slipped into the bath.
"To be precise, it is in the shadow of Winnie Watts." Ansa continued. "Whenever the darkest night falls and the city is shrouded in candlelight, shadows are born. But only the kin of the Nameless One The entrance to Byrne can be found, and mortals and other mysterious creatures are shut out and unable to escape."
You want to scare me. Danlfion grasped the stone edge of the bath. You can't do it. "Sounds true."
"Judging from the results of our investigation, it is true."
"Investigation? No one..."
"I didn't deploy your manpower, sir." Ansa interrupted her, "I used mysterious means. I searched for information in the inheritance of the Ice Territory, combined it with the historical records of the mortal kingdom, and then compared it with reality... The most vivid among them The evidence is the first demon-hunting campaign seventeen years ago, the 'Wynnworth Massacre'. "
Delphine felt a chill. "You said that...?"
"The Paladins did not find the wrong place. They chased the 'Glimmer Lord' to the Ice Territory, and lost track of their target near Veniwaz. The priest concluded that there was a demon stronghold or passage hidden here, so he ordered the city to be sealed off and carried out inhumane identification. Yet they are right. The demon lord disappears in Venevoise, because this is not only the gate to hell in a mystical sense, but also a reflection
The seat of the city of Bain. "
I see. she thought dazedly. The Holy Knights dug deep into the ground in Veniworth and searched the surrounding land, but could not find any trace of the demonic association. How could they be willing to return without success? The answer is obvious.
Because this is the gate to hell.
If the Seven Fulcrums used mysterious means—such as the magic that ended the Gulf War and razed Gray Wing Island—everyone would probably finish the game together. No wonder! No wonder that during the Second Demon Hunting Campaign, the coalition forces and secret societies preferred to fight on the snowfields rather than get close to Winnie Watts.
The Evil Dragon is not a story. She was completely convinced. My domain sits at the entrance to hell, that's the damned fact.
Ansa dragged her out of the water, dried her body with witchcraft, and wrapped her in layers of goose velvet brocade. "You are trembling, my lord." She hugged Delphine and came to the fireplace burning with warm flames.
"Naiden...guest..."
"What?" The head maid lowered her head and listened.
"It's not safe here." Since the mysterious realm regards the Ice Territory as hell, any of her actions may cause unknown consequences. It would be unwise to provoke the Byrnes. What would the devil think? Delphine's teeth chattered. "To bring Ser Nedon back, we have to... no, no... they are in the city all the time! Those guests..."
"The city of Byrne is a mysterious place. There is no need to scare yourself, Danlfion. The situation will not be that bad. You see, Byrne has sent many envoys to the north, and I think these unknown people are still planning to follow the rules. "
"I'm not worried about this! Think about it, if Wineworth is the gate to hell, will the Seven Pillars be willing to swallow the bitter pill after defeat?" She grabbed Ansa's hands. "The defense line has been lifted. They even evacuated the last troops left in the Ice Territory! Only we are still there! Now let Sir Neden come back, and don't disturb the people in the shadows."
"I'll do it right away." Seeing this, Ansha let go of her shoulders, stood up and left.
is there time? Dandelphine didn't know. This was completely an order she gave instinctively in panic. It is very likely that Sir Naiden had already found the "guest" and explained the food shortage situation in the Ice Territory, making Byrne's demons realize that they were gradually becoming an isolated island. For the love of the gods... footsteps.
"Your Majesty the Earl." Ansha left and returned. Has she caught up? Dandelphin turned his head quickly, but saw more than one figure. Naiden Lancoster. It was this person who was following the head maid. Their expressions were unreadable, and she couldn't help but feel her heart beat faster.
"I got an invitation from the guest, Lord Danlfion." The acting city lord frowned and said, "It's for you."
Dandelphine had no intention of considering any invitation to the ball. "Did you say anything about the food?" she blurted out.
"No, sir. The guest...the other party said that all matters can be discussed later." Sir Naiden handed over a letter, and Ansa reached out to take it without letting Dandelphine touch it.
She looked at it carefully. The letter envelope was painted with fire paint and seemed very solemn. The corners were rolled with magnificent gold edges. The letter paper was made of carefully tanned leather and silk as smooth as a girl's skin. To be honest, the Wang family's documents are nothing more than that. The scroll was gently unfolded, and Danlfien watched helplessly as the content jumped out of the paper, forming a row of words written in flames in mid-air.
"Please ask the Earl of Iceland to speak to Bai En." 』
