Chapter 300 Silent War Drum
Anthony’s mount is a half-warhorse with 1/4 beholder bloodline - God knows how the royal magician pieced together two completely different creatures.
The beholder's own floating characteristic allows the war horse to offset part of its own weight, allowing it to run very fast.
Although it barely maintains the shape of a horse, once it gallops at full speed, you can see that the high-raised tail mane is not hair, but dense fleshy tentacles.
Thanks to this good horse, Akori set off in the afternoon and galloped to Raven's territory by the evening of the next day.
Although he didn't know the content of the letter, Anthony told him to send the letter to Raven and get a reply as soon as possible.
No matter what request Raven makes, you can agree to it first.
Anthony’s serious attitude made Akori realize that the matter was urgent.
But as soon as he entered the Holo territory that originally belonged to Baron Hugh, Akori had to slow down.
He was stopped by Hawkeye guards and taken to Holorland's castle.
When he came to the living room, he saw a man with a very aristocratic temperament, whose red bow tie was particularly conspicuous.
Akory was about to take off his hat, but the man was the first to show a warm smile and bowed and saluted:
"I, Kolu, the Administrative Officer of Holor, welcome your arrival."< br>
Unexpectedly, this man didn’t even have a knighthood. Akori stopped immediately. He moved his hands and got straight to the point: "I have a personal letter from the Governor to send to Baron Raven. Please send someone to take me there immediately."
"Oh, so that's it." Koru maintained a smile. : "You can give this letter to me and I will send someone to forward it immediately."
Akori raised his voice slightly: "I said, you need to hand it to Baron Raven personally, don't you understand?"
"This... I'm really sorry." Kolu rubbed it. Rubbing his hands: "It's not that I don't want you to go there, but the Baron is preparing to go to the Principality of Eivor. Recently, there are many nobles from the five northwest counties going to Eagle City to wait for orders."
"...So what?"
"So Therefore, in order to prevent spies from the Principality of Eivor or other dangerous people from sneaking into Eagle City and causing chaos, all nobles from outside the five northwest counties must be vetted before going to Eagle City."
" I'm here on behalf of Governor Anthony!" Acre took out the letter with Anthony's seal: "Does this still need to be reviewed? Do you think Governor Anthony will be detrimental to Baron Raven?"
Looking at the seal that almost hit his face, Kolu still maintained a smile:
"Of course not, but the rules are the rules. You are a baron, so don't make things difficult for servants like us."
“I will send a message immediately, if If there are no problems, we will give you a permit to go to Eagle City in up to 3 days.”
If Anthony knew what was going on here, he would definitely pull Akori’s ears and curse. , telling him not to care about Kolu's words and rush out directly to Eagle City.
Unfortunately, Anthony is not here, and Akori was told by Anthony not to do anything to irritate Raven.
Faced with this move that could be seen at a glance as delaying time, Akori was not helpless. He stared into Kolu's eyes:
"I hope this matter can be done quickly. , and in order to improve efficiency, if I don’t get permission for one day, I will I will keep an eye on you for a day - not leaving you."
A trace of panic flashed in Kolu's eyes, and then he nodded: "I understand."
That night, Akori stayed in the castle. Next, I am very confident that I can see Raven tomorrow.
Although I don’t understand why Koru stopped him, it must be because of Raven’s instruction.
What every political officer does involves the secrets of Raven's territory.
If he didn’t want to be seen by himself, Raven would have to let him into Eagle City.
But he miscalculated.
Early the next morning, before dawn, someone knocked on his door and told him that Kolu had started working.
In order to fulfill his promise, Akori had to put on his armor and followed Koru.
It lasted 3 days.
In these three days, Kolu completely lost the panic he showed before, and did not shy away from Akori. Everything he did was clearly displayed in front of Akori.
Horoland was running at full speed, and Koru was as tireless as a dummy.
He gets up on time at 4 o'clock every morning. The first thing he does is check how many materials were shipped from the warehouse yesterday and how much is left, and then he immediately arranges the escort for the day.
At 6 o'clock, Kolu would stuff two pieces of bread and drink a glass of milk for breakfast. Then he would pick up an awl and personally inspect the grain shipped from the warehouse to distinguish between new grain and old grain to prevent his subordinates from cheating. .
From 8 o'clock to 12 o'clock, it is the time to process official documents. Not only do you have to report and communicate with the Eagle City authorities, but you also need to deal with large and small problems in the territory.
12 o'clock to 13 o'clock, this is Kolu's rare rest time of the day. He will sit down and have lunch, but even so, there will be a clerk beside him to report the situation - it is said that This is the first of its kind set by Baron Raven.
From 13:00 to 17:00, Koulu will meet with the troops coming from the five northwest counties.
As the date set by Lei Wen approaches, more and more soldiers are arriving, and they need to enter the Eagle Territory in batches, so Koru has to divide a temporary station for them here and clarify the time of entry. .
17:00-21:00, reception.
The knights representing the nobles of the five northwest counties will gather here, and Koru will not be absent. He calms everyone's emotions very well and makes all the knights feel at home, but he will never tell any useful information.
From 21 to 23 o'clock, when Kolu was alone, Akori arrived, and he and Akori were in the same room.
But the two of them will have little communication. Kolu will make a brief summary of his whole day's itinerary, and sort out the pros and cons. After doing this, he will take out a book "On War" published in 931. 》Study.
23:00-4:00 the next day, rest time.
Then continue to repeat the previous day's itinerary.
On the morning of the fourth day, Akori was able to wake up at 4 o'clock without being called.
He was so tormented by Kolu's routine that he almost forgot his purpose.
Meeting with Kolu at the gate of the castle, the noble political officer straightened his red tie and handed a wooden token in both hands: "Baron Acre, you can go to Eagle City now. . ”
Acori didn’t even react at the first time.
After being stunned for a while, he caught the sign and turned to leave, but couldn't help but said: "Mr. Kolu, I have a question to ask you."
"In the past three days, I have seen a lot - your self-discipline, your ability, your responsibility."
"But even so, you have not received any title. What drives you to do this? ?”
“Don’t you think that Baron Raven gave you Isn’t the reward worth this kind of effort?”
Koru didn’t expect Akori to ask such a question. He thought about it carefully, then looked into Akori’s eyes and said seriously:
“No, I don’t think so at all.”
"This may be difficult for you to understand, but Baron Acre, in the Nord Province, you can't be rewarded by hard work."
"You think I have a hard life, that's because these days You have always been with me, and you have only been with me for these few days."
Speaking of this, Kolu wanted to stop several times, but maybe. It was because he saw Akori's confusion, maybe he really needed to express his feelings, but he continued:
"If you look at my entire life, you may get a completely different conclusion."
“My father was a freeman and my mother was a serf.”
"You know, the empire has a bad habit called the 'right of first night', and our lord at that time liked to exercise this power."
"And through this power, he took a fancy to my mother. ”
“So before my mother became old and beautiful, she encountered a lot of people who inherited her appearance. I've also encountered a lot."
Akori looked unbearable: "I'm sorry, I..."
"Please let me finish." Koru interrupted. Corey's words: "Since I was young, I have always hoped to change the situation of my family with my own efforts."
"I only sleep 3 hours a day, studying imperial laws and various books that I am not interested in at all; I will use willow branches and wet rags to simulate the touch of parchment to practice calligraphy."
"11 years old I can help my lord with official documents.”
“But my lord. The Lord still calls me into his room—sometimes with my mother."
At this point, Koru breathed a sigh of relief: "Sorry, I digressed, back to your original question."< br>
“I don’t think Baron Raven has done me any wrong.”
"He doesn't care about my past or my origin, and entrusted Holorland to me."
"All my actions are based on my personal habits and my gratitude to the lord. .”
"Are you satisfied with this answer?"
Akory didn't know how to answer. If these words came from a stranger, he would laugh them off, but after spending three days together, he got to know Kolu better. Finally, the answer seemed extremely heavy.
So he simply didn’t answer, got up, mounted his horse, and drove towards Eagle City.
Akori thought that since he arrived at Eagle City, he would not encounter any more trouble and the letter could be delivered to Raven's hands smoothly.
But it was old Gordon who received him.
Old Gordon said that the Baron is currently inspecting Xuefeng Territory to ensure the supply of military supplies for the army.
This is purely an excuse - if the military supply needs to be reviewed at this time, then Raven should not send troops at all.
At this time, Akori was a little annoyed, knowing that he had been tricked by Raven.
But now that the deal is done, Akori will not follow Raven foolishly.
Xue Feng is not a small leader. Maybe when he rushes over, Raven will have gone to another place.
So he decided to follow the previous strategy.
He proposed to go to the Riverside Workshop to take a look, and made up his mind that if Old Gordon didn't agree, he would force his way in.
This method failed to work on Koru's side because Koru was responsible for peripheral matters after all, and the Riverside Workshop contained Raven's real secrets.
Old Gordon actually allowed his actions.
And he thoughtfully arranged for him to have Philip, the administrative officer of Goldsmith Town, as his guide.
That afternoon, Fili picked up Akori and got on the carriage to the riverside workshop.
“Actually, it’s very boring over there in the factory, Baron Acre.”
Fili had an unconcealable look of fatigue on his face, and dark circles had appeared in his eyes. That’s why I didn’t yawn in front of Akori:
"Those things they did are simply witchcraft, no one can understand it."
Looking at Fili's face, Akori couldn't help but ask: "Are you tired?"
Afraid that he might accidentally offend the other party, Feili quickly said: "No, I'm not tired. Being able to sit in the same carriage with you is simply more enjoyable than drinking the tears of angels. How can I be tired?" What? "
As he spoke, he forced a smile.
Looking at the smile that was uglier than crying, Akori sighed and turned his head to look out the window without any intention of continuing to ask.
Feili breathed a sigh of relief.
To be honest, it is really a chore to receive a baron, especially a baron who represents the Governor. Just dealing with various things recently was enough to make him exhausted.
Although the Goldshire held by Fili is not as big as Korlu's Holorland, and there is no need to worry about food problems, the pressure brought by the war is still a lot.
The soldiers in the five northwest counties are not as well-trained as the Eagle Army. They flock to Goldsmith Town to have fun, which will inevitably cause all kinds of trouble and commotion.
Most of these will be sent to his desk.
Big-headed soldiers are nothing, but the families behind them are more troublesome than the last. In order to deal with these things, Fili racked his brains.
You can’t deal with it harshly, but you can’t let it go lightly either, and you must try your best to avoid troubling the Baron.
Every time he dealt with something, it would make him feel tired for a long time.
Things outside are difficult to deal with, and things at home are not easy to deal with.
His three sons were all eager to prepare their own weapons and join the army.
It is true that you can get meritorious service by joining the army. Maybe after returning from this trip, Fili can be the father of a knight.
But there are no immortals in a war.
Fili doesn't think his son is so lucky. Others will die, but they will not.
After a lesson with the whip, the second and third sons were quiet, but the boss was still holding his neck in dissatisfaction...
The carriage stopped, and Feili came to his senses. He glanced out the window and said:
"Baron Acre, this is the riverside workshop. Don't look at it now, it's a bit gray. When it was first built, , it’s still very beautiful.”
Getting out of the carriage with Acre, Fili watched the suspension bridge lowered, the workshop door opened, and Poirot was already waiting there with others.
"Where is the person in charge of the factory? Why didn't he come out to see me?" Akori asked with a frown.
“It’s me, Baron Acre.” Poirot stepped forward and saluted: “I am the person in charge here.”
It's no wonder that Acre couldn't recognize him. Whoever it was, wouldn't have thought he was the supervisor when they met the current Poirot for the first time.
Ever since Raven gave the order to prepare for the war, Poirot has been staying in the riverside workshop and has never returned home.
Since the entire workshop was working hard to produce "cleaning oil", Poirot had to be extremely alert at all times and inspect every workshop for fear of making any mistakes.
This kind of thing is difficult to extinguish if exposed to open flames, and has to be covered with sand. Improper handling may cause a fire or even an explosion.
Even with Poirot's intensive inspection, there were still two accidents during this period. Fortunately, they were handled properly and they did not cause a major disaster.
Poirot was so busy that his naps were divided into three, so let alone taking care of his appearance, he even wiped his face after receiving the notice.
My hair was mixed with large and small pieces of dandruff that looked like snowflakes, my stubble was thick and messy, and my body smelled like sweat.
"Uh..." Akori hesitated, almost thinking that this was someone who was specially dressed up by Raven in order to keep him out.
What a vicious method!
But even after coming, Akori would not back down, he just sniffed and said:
"Lead the way."
But just like Fili said before, there is really nothing to see in the workshop.
Every workshop looks dark, with large piles of sand piled at the door, said to be used to extinguish fires.
In the workroom, there are alchemy tables one after another, the flames are blazing and it is terribly stuffy.
It is obviously early spring, but after walking around for a while, the sweat will penetrate the clothes and stick the hair to the forehead.
But what makes Acre strange is that Poirot, the "responsible person", is exhausted, but the workers are full of energy and there is no flaw in their movements.
Moreover, whenever he asked questions, Poirot responded very slowly, and his sentences were even briefer, as if he was afraid that others would understand him.
Fili would add a few words from time to time, but he always missed the point.
Coming out of the workroom, Akori's face was gloomy: "Isn't this the way to treat guests?"
"I came to Eagle City and didn't see Baron Raven. Forget it, he doesn’t have to let me in at all.”
"But since he allowed it, why did he send a layman to fool me?"
Fili felt excited.
When he received the order, Old Gordon personally reminded him that the core secrets-for example, the formula for Angel Tears cannot be given, but other requirements should be fulfilled as much as possible if possible, and if not possible, he must Do it.
Just don’t let Akori raise any issues.
After all, Akori represents Governor Anthony. Lord Raven is inconvenient to meet because of something, and deliberately obstructing him. Although the result is the same, the meaning is completely different.
"Where did you start talking about this?" Fili forced a smile and said: "Baron Acre, if you don't believe it, you can ask someone. Fili has been in charge of the riverside workshop for 5 or 6 years. This is something everyone knows!”
Acori said angrily: “That’s true! What a joke! Is there a person in charge who doesn’t know anything? Call him out or let Raven explain it to me personally.”
“Otherwise, I will demolish this factory!”
< br>When he heard this, cold sweat broke out on Fili's forehead.
If Akori were to demolish the factory, he would be guilty of a great crime!
"Sorry, Baron Acre, maybe my actions have caused you to misunderstand." Poirot showed great calmness and apologized respectfully: "But we did not deceive you."
This This sentence actually calmed Acre a little, and with Poirot's calm attitude, he didn't look like a liar.
"Then why are you so distracted? Still ignorant of all the questions? The workers are full of energy, but you are so tired!"
Poirot heard this and said: "My lord, because I am really the person in charge of this factory.”
“The workers have the energy to work because it is a dangerous job and they must be given a good rest, otherwise it will cause a major accident. ”
"And I don't need to operate with my own hands, I just need to keep an eye on the specifications, so no matter how tired I am, I have to step up."
"As for the neglect of you, I didn't want it originally. Some things can't be done. Say, there are some more, just It's just because I'm too tired. If you want to punish me, please just punish me."
Acre looked at Poirot, and he couldn't pretend to be tired. Then he looked at Fili, who was trying hard to smile.
Then, he thought of Kolu who was spinning around and only slept 5 hours a day.
A question arises in my heart:
"Those of you who serve Griffith, don't you know you are tired?"
"That was war, Lord Acre." Fili and Poirot answered almost at the same time.
The two looked at each other, and it was Fili who spoke first: "This will be a big war. Facing the war in the principality of Eivor, everyone on the front line, whether knights or soldiers, will Faced with the danger of life, we must devote all our energy to preparation."
波. Luo Dao: "I don't know that much, but I know what I am doing. Many of the soldiers in the army are children who I watched grow up. If I work harder here and get more kerosene, they will Just one more chance of coming back alive."
Acori fell silent, turned around and left without saying a word.
In the next few days, Raven still did not return to Eagle City, and Akori stopped making any requests and just waited silently.
On March 30, Raven finally came back and met Akori immediately.
"Baron Raven, this is a letter sent to you by the Governor." Putting the letter on Raven's desk with both hands, Akori calmly sat back in his seat.
Taking it, Raven pressed the letter under his arm: "I'm so sorry to have kept you waiting for so long because of the worldly affairs."
Acori shook his head: " It’s my turn to say sorry. If I didn’t come, you would have saved yourself a lot of trouble.”
These words have a hint of gunpowder.
Leaven smiled slightly awkwardly, but did not speak.
He left Akori dry for more than 10 days. He should let someone vent his anger.
But Akori was not angry, but asked:
“Where does your confidence to win come from?”
During this time, Akori slowly figured it out.
Antony sent him here just to get Raven to give up the war against the Principality of Eivor. Akori originally thought that there was room for discussion.
But during this period of experience, from Koru to Fili, and then from Fili to Poirot, Akori felt the atmosphere of war that permeated Raven's territory.
This made Akori realize that Raven was really determined to attack Eivor, and it was not just a show.
Raven's avoidance itself is a response to Anthony, and it is also the best way to respond.
Because any direct answer, as long as it does not agree to give up the war, will make the two of them break up.
Presumably it was because he was aware of this that Anthony, who had not received a reply for a long time, did not send anyone over to speed up the process.
That's why Akori asked this question - purely out of his own curiosity.
Raven smiled: "There is no war in the world whose outcome can be determined without starting."
"However, you can follow me to the Principality of Eivor."
"Perhaps, you can find your own answer."
"This is also what the Governor would like to see, isn't it?"
Akory frowned: "When will we set off? ?"
"April 1, I don't plan to change."
"...Okay.
Looking at Akori's leaving figure, Raven smiled.
Actually, Raven didn't know if Anthony would let Akori stay.
Although this can leave an eyeliner around him, if Raven were Anthony, he would not do this.
Acori is too famous. If he stays, the outside world will think that Anthony also supports Raven.
But Raven needs Akori to stay.
Not only did he want to give the outside world such an impression, but it was also because Akori, as a third-level powerhouse who had awakened his martial soul, could have miraculous effects on the battlefield.
Thinking of this, Raven held Anthony's letter in his hand.
Staring for a while, he stuffed it into a drawer full of expired letterheads.
……
(End of this chapter)