January 22nd of the Second Era.
This winter in Beyeland has been extremely cold. The white snow on the spire of the house reminds people of the undulating snow peaks, which is somewhat similar to the east in the oil painting.
Sonia pulled her soft wool cloak, glanced at the heater in the carriage, and breathed into the palm of her hand.
The servant of the Larmore family was particularly out of shape today. He did not turn on the heater in the carriage in advance. The omelette for breakfast was a bit too salty.
"What's the news?" Sonia leaned her head against the cold car window and asked Fiona sitting opposite.
"A lot~" the little newspaper reader said while flipping the newspaper in his hand, "His Majesty the King expressed his condolences to the victims of the Flower Moon Memorial Ceremony on Neopolis Island. The wise Senate sent a fleet to implement quarantine and blockade, food and Other commodity futures prices continue to rise rapidly, and the Veterans Committee proposal has been defeated again...Which one do you want to hear?"
"I always feel~" Sonia quietly listened to a large section of her best friend's words, "There are some subtle differences today."
"Rana, is there any subtle difference between today and usual?" Fiona was in a particularly good mood. She rolled down the window and asked Shutoral who was riding a horse outside the car.
The tall hussars wore heavy armor, and the swords hanging on both sides of the saddle were faintly exposed under the thick cloak. His sharp gaze passed through the iron helmet and swept across the nearby sidewalks and rooftops like a sharp blade, but he did not answer the girl's question.
"La-na-!" Fiona prolonged her tone, stretched out her hand and snapped her fingers in the hussar's ear, "Hey! You're ignoring me again!"
"How could I ignore you?" Lana looked away and said gently.
"You're just ignoring me!"
How could the conversation between these two people be so sweet... Sonia raised the corners of her mouth slightly and looked in the direction where Lana was looking.
The streets are crowded today.
Many people in shabby clothes stood in the snowdrifts, staring at the passing carriages with a look that Sonia had never seen before. There were also people standing on the balconies and rooftops, many holding rolled up red cloths and wooden sticks. They whispered from time to time, and then cast their gaze into the distance.
Sonia's eyes met someone.
This man was wearing a gray coat, had a sloppy beard, and his resolute eyes looked a bit like Griffith and Lana when they first came to Beyeland. The moment her eyes met his, Sonia had a very strange and uncomfortable feeling, as if she had been violated in some way.
At this time, the majestic hussars passed nearby. Lana glanced at the man and immediately pushed back the uncomfortable feeling.
"Maybe it's because your Griffith will return today~" Fiona didn't notice anything and sat down in her seat with a bright face, "Let's take a look at the show we're waiting for, ah~ today is going to be What is happening is a tragedy!”
…
The carriage passed through the city and came to the steps of the magnificent Coliseum.
Celebrities from Beyeland are coming from all over to support the new show of the most prestigious Arydlov Opera Company. In the next seven days, the troupe will perform twelve times in a row, and each performance is sold out.
Hot braziers have been lit on both sides of the marble steps, driving away the cold and moisture. Sonia and Fiona took off their warm cloaks and handed them to the waiter, then walked into the theater wearing only long skirts as light as colorful clouds.
Fiona suddenly remembered something, turned around and said to Lana: "We need two hours, if you go to eat nearby, bring me some of that!"
The one Fiona was talking about was the roasted lamb on thin wooden sticks at the barbecue stall in the alley, but some people said maliciously that it was roasted with stray cats. The sizzling meat skewers are grilled until browned, and then sprinkled with cumin and spices. It's so delicious that you bite into it.
It would be inappropriate for an earl’s daughter to eat such a thing. It would be ugly if oil stains dripped on her long skirt. But the guards on duty would sneak into the alleys and eat a lot whenever they had time. When they were full, they would bring back two bunches of cold food to their master.
Rana ignored her.
Sonia held back Fiona who was about to jump out of anger and comforted her with a light smile. Her gaze accidentally passed by the bottom of the steps. Suddenly she noticed that the dismounted guards seemed to be looking absentmindedly in the opposite direction, not paying much attention to the prince who was walking into the theater.
These young men wearing strong armor and hanging sharp swords were faintly lined up in a row, forming a silent human wall under the steps of the theater. The guards who had just arrived did not dismount immediately, but slowly wandered around the human wall like a knight, each holding the hilt of their sword at their waist.
Something is wrong!
Sonia's whole body trembled slightly involuntarily. Although she didn't understand what was happening, she instinctively felt strange and uneasy like never before, and she held her friend's arm tightly.
"Fiona, something's wrong."
Across the snow-covered Beyeland Theater Avenue, a gray wave suddenly surged over the roofs, streets and park lawns, as if the sea had finally broken through Beyeland's embankments and walls.
It was a surging gray figure. They are very eye-catching on the pure white snow, like moving logs, and they look incompatible with the beautiful city.
These silent people were wrapped in all kinds of mismatched cotton and linen. They looked at the famous nobles in light clothes on the steps, but their eyes were unusually silent and calm. It reminded Sonia of the Goreme volcano she had seen when she was a child.
The crowds of people are so quiet that people don't know what will happen next moment. But they instinctively want to escape and be afraid.
At this moment, the streets in the distance seemed to be commotion. Waves of slogan-like shouts formed a strange sound. Some spectators who were entering the venue were attracted by the strange shouts and thought it was a carefully arranged warm-up.
A gorgeously decorated carriage drove up from the end of the street, with noble family crests carved on the door.
"It's General MacDonald." Fiona hummed. "He's always the last one to arrive, as if everyone is waiting for him. Last dance, he insisted on inviting me to dance with him..."
Fiona's words suddenly got stuck in her throat.
Amid the exclamations, several young men holding red flags jumped from the roof and landed on the roof of the general's carriage.
The scene immediately became chaotic, and those people who looked like homeless people ran towards the carriage. They appeared on sidewalks, on trees and near garbage dumps, unfurling flags as they ran.
"Fiona, go to the theater!" Lana's thunderous roar exploded like thunder that had been brewing for a long time.
The guards who had been watching in vigilance just now jumped off their horses at lightning speed, drove the horses behind, filled the queue in a tacit understanding, and formed an airtight double-row human wall at the foot of the steps.
General MacDonald at the end of the street felt as if his carriage had been caught in a hail storm. The two guards in fine armor who were sitting in front driving the carriage were stunned by the sudden attack.
"Get me out of here, you idiot!" the general roared.
The guard shook off the attacking attacker, gritted his teeth, waved his riding crop, and drove out quickly. However, the carriages traveling along the way were all frightened by the sudden storm. They bumped into each other in fear or slowed down, temporarily blocking the opportunity for escape.
"Sir, we are blocked!" the guard shouted anxiously.
General McDonald, the defender of the kingdom, president of the Army Academy, and military theorist, waved his hand and shouted at the crowded sidewalk: "Isn't it very spacious over there?!"
…
For several days, Griffith carefully reviewed the events. Gradually, he realized that the seven mysteries of Hepu Town that he had previously regarded as a joke were not simple. The island of Niopolis hides unknown secrets, and even Alandel's family needs investigation and suspicion.
However, he could not complete more investigations with his resources and time. Shortly after the tragic battle, the Earl's Mansion sent him a new order. The command is simple.
"Return immediately."
He immediately boarded a warship and returned to the port of Beyeland. Carrying his luggage, he squeezed past strange passengers, trying to get to the public carriage stop.
The scene became increasingly noisy, mixed with shouts and curses. A group of military policemen came over waving sticks and drove aside the passengers carrying large and small bags.
"Line up along this line!" shouted a police officer. "Anyone who disobeys will be given a taste of the stick."
Before Griffith could figure out the situation, two patrolmen noticed him, pushed aside the crowds on both sides, and shouted to the sloppy trainee knight who had lived in the cargo hold of the warship for three days:
"You, soldier, come here!"
"Your ID."
Griffith handed over his identity card in a very polite manner and asked kindly: "What happened?"
The patrolman snorted expressionlessly and did not answer the question. As he checked his ID, another patrolman stared into Griffith's eyes and kept tapping his baton.
"Hand over your weapons and follow us." The patrolman pointed in the distance, "Go over there!"
Griffith followed them to a quarantined area outside the port area. In a small open space, many men who looked like soldiers were squatting or standing gathered there.
"I am a trainee knight of the Larmore family, a second-level squad leader." Griffith protested to the police officer in charge of the quarantine area, showing his identity card, "I am performing the count's mission."
"I'm sorry, Mr. Trainee Knight, please forgive my previous offense," the police officer hurriedly saluted Griffith, "You can leave. Please go to your family immediately to accept the mission."
"Mission? Who issued the mission?"
"The Senate," replied the sergeant, "recruits all the knights and apprentices of the nobles gathered at Beyeland to be immediately armed and put under martial law."
Martial law? !
Two police officers had already brought Griffith the weapons they had just confiscated, along with a pass.
"Several blocks have been put under martial law. I think you need to hurry up." The police officer said hastily, "The order from above is,
"Defend the King and the Senate at all costs."
…
The public carriages have stopped running. Griffith could only run across the wide streets on foot, fully armed, toward the uptown area.
Under his coat he wore only mail, and carried a long sword and a short sword. As he walked through the narrow streets and tried to take a shortcut, there seemed to be many eyes watching him from the dark corners.
It's not like Griffith has never been to downtown. But the atmosphere here today is different from the past, becoming more depressing and gloomy.
The homeless people and paupers huddled in the corner looked at him with emotionless eyes. The family crest of the Larmore family is engraved on the scabbard. Even if you don't know the crest, you can tell that he is a samurai under a great noble.
From the corner of Griffith's sight, he caught a glimpse of several people standing up and approaching him seemingly casually, holding something unknown in their hands.
He immediately changed his mind, quickly left the dark alley, and took a detour to Larmore House.
Roadblocks have been set up at the intersection leading to the upper city, and a large group of heavily armed soldiers are on guard behind Juma and Muzha.
"Stop and show your identity!" an officer shouted to Griffith from behind the roadblock, and then he seemed to see the coat of arms on the hilt of the sword clearly, "Guard of the Larmore family? Very good, please tell me from the Earl's Palace. You, go immediately to the Bayerland Opera House, where the countess and others are."
Griffith responded, turned around and ran towards the opera house.
The cold winter wind blew past his ears. Griffith, who had run half the city without eating breakfast, was out of breath. The cold wind that poured into his throat made him feel uncomfortable all over. Fortunately, the towering dome of the Opera House had already appeared in front of him.
Thousands of civilians gathered here. Carrying rocks, sticks and flags, they took over the rooftops of several buildings and nearby streets. In front of them, a group of dismounted soldiers in armor were blocking the steps in front of the opera house.
Griffith saw a familiar figure in the distance - Lana. He stood like a sculpture at the main entrance of the theater holding a two-handed sword, and his fierce eyes were like a tiger that chooses people to devour.
Griffith struggled to push his way through the crowd. Suddenly, his feet felt weak, as if he had stepped on something strange. He lowered his head and saw broken intestines and severed limbs scattered among the snow. A ball of red intestines was at his feet.
At this moment, someone beside him shouted.
"There's a noble's lackey here!"
running dog! Are you talking about me?
The shout startled Griffith. Before he could say something bad in his mind, a stick was swung at the back of his head.
Griffith, who was wearing a newly purchased helmet, was staggered by the blow, and the anger in his heart immediately surged up. But before he could get angry, more fists and sticks hit him like a rainstorm.
"kill him!"
"Kill the noble's lackey!"
Wearing mail and armor, the tall and mighty Griffith was beaten to pieces by the crowd like a rag doll. There were sticks, fists and curses coming from all directions, making it difficult for him to tell who was the attacker.
Or maybe everyone around you is an attacker.
He grabbed the sword at his waist and tried not to be snatched away, but his helmet was knocked off. A brick hit him in the forehead, nearly knocking him to the ground.
"Drive them away!" Rana's earth-shattering roar covered up the curses and beatings for two seconds. Immediately afterwards, four or five heavily armed heavy infantrymen rushed over, grabbed Griffith, who was almost beaten to death, and dragged him up the steps of the Opera House.
A soldier helped him to lie down beside the majestic columns of the Opera House, turned around and ran back to his post. Rana and other guards were using a human wall to hold back the incoming crowd, beating them with their sword scabbards and backs. There was shouting and yelling everywhere.
"Griffith!"
Sonia ran from the theater. With a handkerchief and a vial of potion in hand, she knelt beside Griffith and examined his injuries.
"I'm fine, um," Griffith recovered from his state of confusion and found several beaten young guards lying on the ground near him. Some of them lost their helmets, some lost their swords, their faces were covered with bruises and bleeding wounds, and they looked like they had been beaten violently.
Sonia wore a beautiful pink dress with intricate crystal pendants sparkling in the sun. The open collar exposed her fair and tender shoulders, which made Griffith immediately worried that she would catch a cold in this cold weather.
"Sonia, it's very dangerous outside, ah! Griffith, how could you be beaten like this!" Fiona ran out of the hall holding up her skirt, and was startled by Griffith, who was bruised and swollen.
"I'm fine. Thank you for your concern." Griffith waved his hand and stood up. The injuries on his face and body were just some bruises and scrapes, nothing serious.
At this moment, drums were beating loudly at the end of the street, and the sound of horse hooves was rolling in that shook the earth. The huge crowd that crowded there began to recede.
A group of neatly dressed dragoons drove over from the nearby street. They held flying flags and were the mounted heavy infantry of the "Aurelius Antoninus Guards" stationed in the capital. This group of dragoons all wore fine breastplates, and strong bows and arrows were hung on their saddles, looking like they were about to attack a fortress.
The noisy crowd roared in front of the dragoons.
"Disperse! Otherwise we will disperse you!" the dragoons shouted sternly.
The crowd stopped retreating and began to rain down stones on them. He actually knocked down two dragoons.
"Disperse! Otherwise I will disperse you!"
The dragoon commander turned his head and waved back.
"Grenadiers, come forward!"
The soldiers in the back row immediately jumped off their horses and took out porcelain bottles one by one from the saddle pockets.
"Do it!"
Grenadiers hurled porcelain bottles into the crowd. With crisp crackling sounds, large clouds of smoke filled the air.
The smoke had a sharp pungent smell. Immediately there was a chorus of coughs and cries from the crowd. Immediately afterwards, the crowd that had been crowded at the intersection just now receded like the ebbing sea water.
The dragoons covered their mouths and noses and rode straight to the steps of the opera house. They had just surrounded the steps of the opera house when an officer jumped down and ran quickly to the main entrance.
The noble guests who had heard the news came out one after another, watching the officer under the protection of their guards.
"The Senate has ordered that the whole city is under martial law. My dragoons will escort ladies and gentlemen home," the officer paused. "All families must provide a fully armed cavalry and war horses to report to General MacDonald. Save the King and the Senate from the mob. The above orders must be carried out immediately."
…
Griffith, Lannes, Murat, and many young guards who knew or did not know each other were herded into a square.
"Young Guardsmen, come here!"
Almost every young non-commissioned officer in the capital knew the shouting Longbottom. He was wearing a full stiff uniform, waving his riding crop and shouting, "Hurry up and eat. When we are full, we will kick the butts of those gangsters!"
Steaming white bread and sausages were placed in a frame and thrown in front of Griffith and other family guards. The wooden frame was also labeled with the bakery's morning shipping schedule, which was plundered from nowhere.
The quartermaster brought milk, put it in small bottles and threw it into the arms of Griffith and other soldiers.
"Hurry up! Eat it in five minutes!"
It didn't take five minutes at all. Griffith had only taken two bites before he was pulled up by the officer and pushed to the side of the road to stand up. There, servants with different family crests embroidered on their clothes were taking off brand new plate armor, helmets and swords from the carriage.
"Little guards, stand in line and go get your armor and horses!"
Longbottom, holding a riding crop, whipped the street lamp and gave orders in a thunderous voice.
Griffith was squeezed by the team and was finally pushed to the front of the carriage. A quartermaster picked up the breastplate and threw it on his head. He cursed viciously: "Go forward, go forward, you guys." Fat puppy, move forward!”
The team continued to move, and several soldiers came up to help Griffith put on his plate armor, put on the smock and ribbon embroidered with the coat of arms of the Larmore family, and the officer patted the items wrapped in paper into their hands one by one.
Griffith tore open the package curiously, and a sweet smell immediately caught his taste buds.
This was a sweet made from a large piece of cocoa fruit. Galadia had given it to him. It was delicious and easy to fill up.
"I'll eat the chocolate later. You pigs who can't get enough to eat, move on, move on!"
Hundreds of young people in sharp attire were pushed forward again. At the intersection, they saw the retainers sent by their lord's family.
"Get on your horse and follow Lord George Longbottom!" the orderly shouted in the cold wind, "Follow George Longbottom, fulfill your duties, and don't forget your oath!"
"After completing the mission, each person will receive two points of merit and two hundred silver coins!"
"Shutoral, our honor is loyalty!"
The count's secretary, Armance Sauron, was also waiting there with several servants. They also led a majestic military horse. The horse had already been covered with vests, and its ferocious horns were like a monster in the abyss. When they saw Griffith they immediately pushed him onto his horse.
"Will you do it?" Sauron handed over the saber, his tone was strange and hoarse.
"What?" Griffith asked subconsciously.
"Will you do anything to them?" Sauron raised his head and looked at the trainee knight angrily. His eye circles were red and there were tears in the corners of his eyes.
"Are you going to take action against our fellow soldiers?"
…
Sonia was with many gentlemen and ladies from noble families. Most of their guards have been drafted, and now they can only move slowly under the protection of dragoons.
They set out from Theater Square and passed through Senate Square, where they found the situation even more critical.
The crowd had occupied the square in front of the Senate Chamber, shouting slogans at the soldiers watching them. There were so many of them that they almost filled the field of view.
The infantry and light cavalry who maintained order had hesitated and wavered, and were pushed back bit by bit.
A hard-eyed crowd was gathering at the steps of the Senate, waving flags. The Senate guards were blocked at the entrance of the meeting hall and did not dare to move. More people have taken over nearby parks and streets, setting up tattered tents there, and the usually neat and beautiful Upper Bayerland looks like a rotten potato.
"These people are veterans who retired from the Eastern Front! They are from the Verona region in the west, and they are here to demand compensation!"
"Didn't the Senate give the money? Why don't these gangsters go to their lord!?"
"They asked the Senate to accept the veterans' committee's proposal for compensation."
"Those shameless city defense troops didn't dare to attack them! Have they forgotten who usually takes care of them?"
The nobles who had grasped the situation began to pass messages to each other. Now, they were blocked on the street by a sea of veterans and civilians from the Western Region, and could not return to their warm and safe home for a while.
Not far away, veterans formed a tight human wall, as if they were still on the battlefield at the end of the world. They were unarmed and covered their mouths and noses with thick cotton cloth, leaving only a pair of eyes glaring.
"Do it quickly, Arthur!" A big noble shouted towards General Macdonald Arthur who was present. Several of the youngest and most loyal members of his bodyguard were transferred away, leaving him with no sense of security at all.
"Use tear gas!" Another count said sternly, "disperse them quickly!"
"Tear gas is useless against these hooligans. We have already tried it," General MacDonald raised the riding crop in his hand, turned around and said calmly to the nobles behind him:
"I'm waiting for the armored cavalry."
