Chapter 266 Making up their mind
“Your Majesty, do you know why there isn’t any news from my older brother?”
Ed’s question surprised Timothy for a moment, indeed, it had already been two months since he sent Lehman Hawes over to loot the Western Territory. No matter if he traveled further or decided to return, he should already have reported on the situation by now, or returned to King’s City.
Although one of the missions given to Lehmann was “take as much control of the Western Territory as possible”, Timothy thoroughly understood that after the 1500 people took the pills they would become almost entirely useless. Wanting to only rely on them to occupy the Western Territory was a very unlikely situation, so the main mission was to seize Longsong Stronghold, loot the pills in the church, verify the details about the Duke’s battle, then lastly go out to attack Border Town thereby consuming some of Roland’s strength.
He had already used this trick to deal with Garcia, so it could be described as a well-tested tactic of his. Even in the case that he was unable to capture the Port of Clear Water, and his militia was wiped out during the attempt to eliminate the enemy, most of his Knights would still be able to return safely. So as long as he assembled a group of useless people afterwards, they would be able to set out on an attack once again.
But why is there absolutely no news about Lehman Hawes and his group of Knights?
Timothy opened his mouth and slowly said, “Maybe his return was delayed because of the attack on Border Town, or he may be on his way back by now.” He knew, that his reasoning was clearly quite weak, but he still did not want to tell Lehman’s brother the most likely answer.
“Maybe when I get back to King’s City, there will be a message from him waiting for me.”
“Then Your Majesty, at that time, is it possible that I can ask that you…”
“Tell you the news?” Timothy nodded, “Of course, I will send a messenger to deliver it to you.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty!”
The new King leant on the railing, watching the occasionally rays of light which appeared within the black clouds. The sound of thunder came from a far-off place, it wasn’t loud, but rather deep and resounding, as if it struck directly into the heart.
Ed’s question had caused the joy in Timothy’s heart to largely fade away. If it was said that Garcia Wimbledon’s rebellion was as it was meant to be, and that Tilly Wimbledon’s departure had disappointed him greatly, then the action of Roland Wimbledon was something completely unimaginable to him. He had always thought that it would be absolutely unnecessary for him to spend any of his energy on his incompetent younger brother. As long as he waited for some time, Roland would become fed up with Border Town’s impoverished lifestyle and come back to King’s City on his own, thus today’s very real situation was completely unimaginable.
Staying behind so as to take care of Border Town, safely making it through the Months of Demons, defeating Duke Ryan to seize Longsong Strong, and I have now, even completely lost contact with Lehman and his 1’500 militia. In the end, how is this even possible?
Timothy didn’t have a deep understanding regarding his younger brother. In our childhood, no matter if it was Garcia or Gerald, they didn’t love playing with him. Even after they became adults, they would only occasionally meet during the palace banquets. However, news related to his naughty and mischievous deeds never stopped, even father wasn’t fond of him. Is it possible that he concealed his true nature from the beginning?
As soon as the idea came up, Timothy also rejected it. Even if he is as smart as fifth sister, it would only affect his learning ability and his reactive thinking. During Tilly’s childhood, there wasn’t any difference between her and an ordinary girl – how can someone be born with the knowledge on how to mask themselves and deceive others? It is inevitable that something must have happened after he had left for Border Town, which caused these changes.
Timothy shook his head, and threw those distracted thoughts to the back of his mind.
“What’s wrong, Your Majesty?”
“No, it’s nothing.” The new King took a breath, “A storm is coming.”
No matter what had happened to him. The situation is still the same. With Border Town’s population and its position, he is already doomed without somewhere to retreat to – he has no port or fleet. And with only the unreachable barbaric wasteland behind him, he can only defend his small corner to the death, waiting until he is completely swept off by my attacks.
“Do you insist on leaving tomorrow?” the Knight asked in fear.
Timothy turned around, “If you stop after encountering some rain, what would you do when you meet a real storm?”
Sooner or later, Roland Wimbledon will kneel beneath my feet and beg for my forgiveness. I will inevitably put Graycastle’s crown on my head. However, all of this is but a side act of a newly started play. The movements and intentions of the Church are becoming increasingly obvious. One day, the Church and Graycastle are bound to clash, that will be my real challenge.
“Go and attend to your own affairs. The sooner you are able to finish the task I’ve given you, the sooner you will be able to return to King’s City.”
“As you bid, Your Majesty.”
Ed walked two steps away, but then turned back to ask. “I almost forgot, may I ask Your Majesty, how do you wish to deal with those who swallowed the pills and haven’t died on the battlefield? They have already taken the pills for the third time.”
“Have them burn along with Port of Clear Water,” Timothy replied expressionlessly.
After the Knight acknowledged his orders and left, Timothy suddenly felt something cold on the tip of his nose. Lifting his head, he saw raindrops falling from the clouds, first there was only some spare droplets, but it became more and more dense, then setting off ripples over the sea’s surface.
The New Holy City at Hermes was at the peak of the Tower of Babel.
“Damn it, truly, f*cking damn it!” Tayfun shouted as he vigorously smashed his fist against the table. “This wh*re of a b*tch! That’s blaspheme! She dares to point her spearhead at the Church!”
This was the first time that Mayne had seen the old bishop lose his self-control, the veins on his forehead had risen in his rage, and his beard was trembling. In general, his sinister appearance looked as if he wanted to swallow his counterpart.
It was quite difficult to imagine that he was the same man as the man who constantly raised complaints regarding Heather, who could not exchange even a few words with her without quarreling the whole afternoon long. However, the moment he saw the content inside the small jewel box sent from the Queen of Clear Water, the old man had burst into a rage.
There had been no pearl in the small jewel box, it had only contained a single cast iron ring –the Bishop’s emblem that had personally been awarded by His Holiness, and it was still attached to a bloodstained finger..
Mayne sighed then reached out for the jewelry box. “Of course she dares, that’s because we also haven’t received the blessing of God – God… only favors the victorious.”
Hearing this sentence, Tayfun suddenly calmed down, then silently went to sit back in his chair, heavily gasping for air, before he was once more able to stiffly ask, “Then, what do you intend to do?”
This was indeed a situation the Church hadn’t encountered in the last hundred years. No one had thought that Garcia would come the whole way up from Graycastle to the Kingdom of Endless Winter, and even send the Black Sail Fleet towards Hermes after having seized the capital. Although the Wolfsheart Kingdom had been on its last breath before being conquered, Mayne still hadn’t hesitated to order the God’s Punishment Army to come back to the Old Holy City.
This city, even without any walls, was the barrier defending the base under Hermes and they couldn’t afford to lose it no matter the price.
After they repelled their offensive, the Black Sail Fleet didn’t try to go on and instead returned along the river all the way back to King’s City of Endless Winter. The other’s intention was quite obvious, as long as the Church dispatched troops attack the Wolfsheart Kingdom, Garcia would attack the Old Holy City from the river. Furthermore, the nobles who had previously been suppressed by the sudden loss of Endless Winter’s royal power would now begin to stir. Mayne believed that as long as Garcia promised that they could keep their territories and possessions, all those greedy nobles wouldn’t hesitate to support Garcia to become the new Queen of Endless Winter.
Now they had a dilemma which couldn’t be easily settled.
But the Church would not bow just because they were facing a difficult situation. Even before he had become an Archbishop, Mayne had already known that the road before him would be a long and thorny one.
“First, the Holy City needs to announce a new Archbishop, so we will first make a list of possible candidates, the final candidate is to be decided by His Holiness,” Mayne slowly stated.
“And the enemy?” Tayfun snorted from his nostrils.
“I will explain everything to His Holiness, do not worry,” he closed his eyes, “His Excellency will execute a holy judgment on them.”