Seeing this situation, Ted couldn't just stand by and watch. Dragging his injured leg, he also rushed towards the battlefield.As for Audrey and the assistant, they knew in their hearts that their skills couldn't compare with those of these people at all.The only one who could possibly be of help was Ivan.For the convenience of casting magic, the magic wand was always in his hand.
Without a word, Ivan raised his wand and immediately began chanting the incantation.Since Ivan's identity as a magician was known to all the bodyguards in the other camp, those figures rushing towards the center of the battlefield changed their direction and rushed towards Ivan.Just at this moment, suddenly, a dazzling light appeared in mid-air.That light was a hundred times brighter than the sun.
Moreover, its appearance was so sudden that everyone present couldn't avoid having their vision blurred. For a long while, they were all in a state of complete blindness.The first ones to recover, besides Herbert and Ivan, was the leader of the bodyguards."I must apologize to all of you. Just now, we did have the intention of leading the enemies to your side. I apologize again for having had such an intention. Thank you very much for your help. Fortunately, you didn't suffer any harm at all. Here's a small token of my sincere apology," The young man said as he took out a cloth bag from his arms and gently placed it on the stump left by a fallen tree by the roadside.
Since the master had spoken, the bodyguards obediently retreated.Herbert stood there silently, waiting for Mr. Juan's instructions.Mr. Juan stood there expressionless from beginning to end. He seemed to be thinking about something. After a long while, he pointed at the cloth bag and said, "Ted, go and see what that is."
Ted cautiously approached the stump and gingerly picked up the cloth bag. He knew very well in his heart that this was an extremely dangerous thing. Perhaps there was a deadly trap hidden inside.Opening the cloth bag, Ted was stunned by what was inside. It was a whole bag of gems, large gems that were crystal clear and shining with dazzling brilliance. One such gem must be worth a fortune.
Ted was so surprised that he couldn't say a word."Are they gems?" Juan asked casually."How did you know?" Ted asked in confusion."That young man should be a prince of some country. This is their usual way. They prepare a bag of gems in advance so that they can ransom their lives in times of crisis," Audrey said casually."Should we kill them?" Herbert asked.
"There's no need. It seems that they already have enough troubles of their own. There are other people waiting to deal with them," Mr. Juan shook his head and said, "And we also have quite a few troubles ourselves. For us, it's better to do less about things that bring no benefits.""Will they?" Audrey asked."I don't think so. They should already know our strength. Moreover, there are still terrifying enemies lurking in the dark, waiting to ambush them at any time. At this time, making more powerful enemies is surely not a wise move."
Having said that, Mr. Juan paused for a moment. After thinking for a while, he continued, "However, it's still necessary to be cautious. Herbert, you're responsible for keeping watch at night. Ted, have a good rest. It's better for your injury to heal as soon as possible.""Boss, what should we do with this?" Ted limped over and raised the cloth bag in his hand."Pick two for yourself. Leave the rest to Audrey to deal with," Mr. Juan ordered.After saying that, Mr. Juan led the way back.
When they returned to the place where the carriages were parked, the tents and carriages had all been burned down. Looking at the ruins all over the ground, Mr. Juan shook his head and sighed, "It seems that we have to continue our journey overnight tonight. Ted, are there enough horses left?""There are six horses left alive, just enough for one horse per person," Ted said as he led the six horses over.
"Everyone, pack up as quickly as possible. See what important luggage you must take with you. We'll set off in half an hour. We have to continue our journey overnight. Ted, when can we reach Luxembourg at the earliest?" Mr. Juan asked."If we go a bit faster, we can reach it tomorrow afternoon," Ted replied affirmatively."Understood. Herbert, go search around. See if there are any survivors. Don't be polite. Kill them all. But be careful of the mist set by Ivan," Mr. Juan seemed to suddenly think of something and added, "Also, look and see if there are any valuable people among them.
The one who can organize such a group of desperadoes must be no ordinary person. Unfortunately, I don't have any clues about this. Maybe those corpses will give us the answers. Cut off two heads and bring them back. I have a use for them."
Hearing the boss's order, Herbert immediately took action."Do you mean that we should take advantage of this incident and put the blame for what was originally aimed at those people on us?" Audrey came up and asked."Opportunities should always be properly utilized. These dozens of corpses will undoubtedly add to the authenticity of Ivan's identity," Mr. Juan said."Will it bring us trouble?" Audrey was still a bit scared after that life-and-death fight just now."If this turmoil is really going to find us, there's no way to avoid it. Since we can't avoid it, it's better to lead those evil spirits to our territory. Hess, you set off for Avila immediately and ask Pam to come to Luxembourg as soon as possible. I have something to ask him," Mr. Juan ordered firmly.
After arranging everything properly, everyone went back to pack their own luggage.However, after being burned by the fire, there was hardly anything left.For Audrey and Ivan, they hardly had any losses.But Mr. Juan felt quite regretful. The two large trunks that had accompanied him for forty years and had been to countless countries had already turned into a pile of ashes.After rummaging through the ashes and finding one or two undamaged items as souvenirs, Mr. Juan had finished packing his luggage.Everyone held the reins of their horses in their hands and waited for Herbert to come back.
After more than a quarter of an hour, Herbert's figure appeared in front of everyone, and he was carrying a bundle in his hand."It's Ridoko, the 'Remaining Wind' Ridoko from Sibai. He's quite famous in the mercenary world. There were rumors that he had retired, but it seems that someone spent a huge price to hire him to secretly train these guys," Herbert said.Mr. Juan had also heard of the "Remaining Wind" Ridoko. After all, there weren't many people famous for their archery skills, and Ridoko was one of the outstanding ones.
Mr. Juan himself was good at archery too, but his archery was known for its precision. As for Ridoko being called "Remaining Wind", it was because he could shoot arrows incredibly fast. There were even legends that his continuous arrow shooting technique could even cut through the wind.It was precisely because of this unique skill that Ridoko was highly respected in Sibai."How did he die?" Mr. Juan felt a bit sad. Although he had been an enemy before, Ridoko was a person who became famous for his archery skills after all, and dying in such an unclear way naturally made him feel a bit sorrowful.
"He took a fatal blow from behind," Herbert said casually."Hey, what archers fear the most always comes from behind. Who killed him? Was it a killer as skilled as you?" Juan asked."No, it must have been a novice. There were a lot of marks left on the ground. As a killer, that person was not qualified. However, he clearly knew where Ridoko was hiding and went straight for him," Herbert told Mr. Juan all of his findings.Mr. Juan thought for a long while. He didn't know what this meant either, but now was not the time to worry about such things. He ordered everyone to mount their horses.
Except for Hess, everyone set off towards Luxembourg.When they passed by the resting place of the mysterious prince who was traveling incognito, it had also turned into a pile of ruins.The horses pulling the carriage were all gone. It seemed that their choice was exactly the same as that of Mr. Juan's group.The tranquility of the night was completely shattered by the noisy sound of horse hooves.After a whole night of traveling, most people were a bit tired when dawn arrived.
After all, time spares no one. The intense battle and the whole night of traveling on horseback made the old man feel a bit out of his depth.As for Audrey, as a swindler, his skills were undoubtedly quite good. However, when it came to a real life-and-death fight, he was even less useful than Ivan.Riding a horse was his specialty too, but that didn't include riding in the dark at night. His eyes, which hadn't received special training, were the only ones among these people that couldn't find the right way in the pitch-dark night. If Ted hadn't been helping him beside him, Audrey would have fallen off his horse long ago.
The most tired among everyone was Ted. Having lost so much blood, Ted was already exhausted. And he had to hold onto Audrey along the way. All of these things were quite exhausting for him.In fact, except for Ivan and Herbert, everyone was extremely tired. When the sky started to turn white and they could vaguely see the trees in the distance, Mr. Juan ordered to stop and rest for a while.Pouring some clear water from the water bag to wash the dust off their faces, Ivan, Audrey, and Mr. Juan regained their noble and elegant noble images, except that their clothes covered with dust looked a bit shabby.
Ted started preparing breakfast beside them. This was his job.Besides, among everyone, except for him and Mr. Juan, the cooking skills of the others were really not worth complimenting. It was impossible to ask Mr. Juan to do it himself.After having breakfast and resting for a while, everyone set off again. There was still a long way to go."Boss, change horses. You ride that purebred horse. It's more stable," Ted said.
Mr. Juan thought for a while and finally shook his head. "No need. We'll be able to reach Luxembourg in the afternoon anyway. Once we're there, Ivan will be the main character. Don't forget, this time, we can only succeed and not fail.""Mr. Juan, it won't have any impact. I think it's better to do as Ted said and change horses," Ivan said.
"No, Ivan, be obedient. Although you're very smart, your experience is far less than that of me and Audrey. You can't imagine at all that a tiny detail could lead to complete failure. Any mistake could be fatal. Ivan, I want you to firmly remember one thing. You have to do everything exactly the same as the real Ivan Ester, without the slightest deviation. Alright, everyone, mount your horses," Mr. Juan ordered.
The sound of horse hooves rang out again on the main road in the Bart Forest, startling a flock of birds on both sides of the road.The speed of traveling on horseback during the day was obviously much faster than at night. Herbert took the lead to clear the way in front, and Ivan was responsible for bringing up the rear. Now, among this group of people, they were the two most capable fighters.
Mr. Juan tried his best to lower his body, almost lying prone on the saddle. For an old man like him, the wind blowing towards him made him a bit out of breath. His heart was beating so fast that it seemed as if it was about to break free from the confinement of his chest. His legs tightly clamped around the saddle seemed completely numb and had no feeling at all, and the muscles in his waist also seemed to be gradually stiffening up.All of these things made the old man feel helpless.He was really old.Thinking back to when he was young, he used to ride horses around all day long. He had never felt so powerless.
Countless long journeys, countless difficult and bumpy roads, and countless narrow escapes were already distant memories of the past for him.Time spares no one. He was already an old man on the verge of death, an old man who could no longer endure the bumps on the road.It was time to retire.All along the way, the old man endured the pain brought to his old body by the bumps on the road.
Perhaps this would be his last long journey, and perhaps this was also his last adventure.The distance to Luxembourg was not long, but in the eyes of this group of exhausted people, this road seemed extremely long, as if it had no end.Although people felt that way, the road wouldn't become longer because of their feelings.When the sun gradually set in the west, the city gate of Luxembourg finally appeared in front of everyone.
Ivan had never been to Luxembourg before.Luxembourg was the capital of the southern part of Francis and also one of the few large cities in the entire Kingdom of Francis.Ivan had been full of curiosity and longing for this capital city for a long time.From a distance, Luxembourg looked like a fortress, an extremely solid fortress.On the towering and straight city walls, there was an arrow buttress two meters wide built every few steps. Different from the fortress fortresses introduced in books, there were no shooting holes on the outer wall of Luxembourg. The entire city wall was built with huge bluestone slabs.To make up for the lack of defensive firepower, five huge three-story towers were built on each city wall, and the towers were full of arrow holes.
Ivan followed behind Mr. Juan and the others, slowly riding his horse towards the city gate. The huge city gate was more than three meters high. The two door panels seemed to be made of iron, but according to the books, they were just wrapped with a thick layer of iron sheet. Inside, they were still made of wood.The thing that really played a defensive role was the fence gate completely cast with pig iron on top of the city gate. It seemed that it weighed at least two tons. No wonder such a large winch was installed on the city tower. At the city gate, there was a team of guards standing. The iron helmets on their heads were the only real protective gear that could save their lives. The thick cotton robes on their bodies probably had a much greater decorative function than a defensive one.
The badges of Luxembourg were embroidered on the chests of these guards. Ivan was very familiar with this pattern, because it was also the family crest of the Medin family.On a shield were painted two animals, a wolf and an elk, which would never stay peacefully together in nature.The pattern on the shield was a diamond pattern in black and blue, so the cloth robes worn by the soldiers were also of this color.Ivan felt that those soldiers, dressed in such clothes, looked a bit like clowns in a circus, except that the clothes of clowns were usually in white and red patterns.
It was already quite lively outside the city gate of Luxembourg. Rows of houses were neatly built along the road from the city gate all the way to the edge of the forest. They looked rather simple and crude, mostly built with wood. Houses made of bricks and tiles were rarely seen.The sides of these houses facing the street were all opened up to form storefronts, which was not much different from Southport. The downstairs must be the places where the warehouses or hired workers lived.
However, different from Southport, the storefronts here sold mostly daily necessities.Firewood, rice, oil, salt, pots, pans, and bowls were the main items for sale here.From across the street came the sounds of chickens crowing, ducks quacking, and pigs grunting. People coming out of the street corners were all carrying vegetables, fruits, chickens, ducks, fish, or meat in their hands. It seemed that there was a vegetable market over there.Perhaps because it was already afternoon, there weren't that many people in the market. The shop assistants were dozing off leaning on the counters, and the shopkeepers were nowhere to be seen. They were probably taking a rest in the back
The clothes of Ivan's group of five people looked rather shabby. After a night of fighting, except for Herbert, everyone was covered with bloodstains. The blood, mixed with dust and mud, formed patchy and conspicuous marks. Although it was late autumn, the mad dash along the way had also made Ted, Audrey, and Mr. Juan sweat profusely.All three of them had tired looks on their faces. Ted's face was especially pale. On the way here, the wound on his thigh had burst open again, and the blood not only completely dyed his riding breeches red but also smeared the saddle.
For such a group of people wanting to enter the city, the guards naturally had to be on their guard.Fortunately, although Mr. Juan and Audrey looked rather disheveled, their imposing manner and outstanding demeanor made the guards, even if they were rather inexperienced, know that these people were definitely not ordinary.When there was no war in Luxembourg, there was usually no need for inspection when entering or leaving the city gate.However, since the last heir of the lord had been murdered in Southport, and the means used by those killers were extremely cruel, the bloody deeds had caused panic among the people.
Moreover, almost all the nobles in the southern part of Francis had gathered in Luxembourg to attend the memorial service for the young heir.
At this time, any accident was something no one could afford. Therefore, the guards on duty at the city gate had to conduct a detailed inspection of those who looked suspicious.If Mr. Juan and his group didn't count as suspicious-looking, then no one else could deserve this title.However, those guards were not stupid either. The group in front of them consisted of an old man and a child. Although they were covered with dust and bloodstains, they definitely didn't look like desperadoes. Instead, they seemed more like wealthy merchants who had been robbed, or perhaps even nobles. These were not people they could afford to offend.
"Dear sirs, welcome to Luxembourg. Could you tell me what happened to you on the way?" A slightly chubby officer ran over from the city gate while asking.Ivan took a look at this officer. His broad, round face wasn't exactly fat yet, but his chin was hardly visible. His forehead was slightly balding, and his puffy eye bags made him look like an old man.As an officer, he was wearing a one-piece breastplate and a large-brimmed copper basin helmet on his head, with fluffy ostrich feathers on top.
"I'm Lord Kaiwell Eaglet Juan. We encountered bandits on the road and were attacked," Mr. Juan said."Bandits? Oh, you said there were bandits? It seems that the south is really not peaceful. They just killed a lord's heir and now they're starting to rob people along the road. Don't worry, I will definitely report this to the military commander. Those bandits will surely be hanged on the gallows," the officer said with a big smile on his face. "Lord, where do you plan to go first? Are you going to the county governor's office to report the case or find an inn to rest first?""I have to go to the church first. One of my loyal servants was injured in this attack. The divine blessing is what we need most now," Mr. Juan said.
The officer didn't need anyone to tell him that the injured person must be Ted, because his pale face and the blood dripping down from the saddle were enough to prove it."Yes, yes, it's quite obvious. Your brave bodyguard now needs the treatment of the priests and sufficient rest the most. However, I'm afraid it's difficult for the priests in the church to spare time now. You don't know that today is the last day of the wake. It's related to whether our respected lord's heir can ascend to heaven safely. And the nobles from Piton just arrived. They arrived here an hour before you. They should be paying their respects to the deceased now," the officer said.
"The nobles from Piton? Is Baron Lipper among them? Have they already arrived?" Mr. Juan asked."Baron Lipper? Oh, yes, and his beautiful daughter. They came together. There were more than thirty carriages in total. Baron Lipper's family was the most eye-catching among them," the officer replied with a smile. "They went directly to the church.""Alright, thank you. Can we enter the city now?" Mr. Juan asked."Lord, please," the officer saluted respectfully.Ivan followed behind Mr. Juan and rode into Luxembourg.
After passing through the city gate, the view suddenly opened up. After all, Luxembourg was a big city. Although it might not be more prosperous than Southport, in terms of grandeur, Luxembourg was much more magnificent.There were countless tall buildings built around. They were not the usual two-story or three-story buildings that could be commonly seen but real tall buildings.The squares filled with statues were also something rarely seen in Southport. For Southport, where land was extremely precious, setting aside such a large piece of land was almost unimaginable.
Luxembourg had numerous magnificent buildings made of marble, which were not found in other places at all. In Southport and Avila, even the most luxurious manors were only built with bricks and stones, at most with marble floors, just like Mr. Juan's manor.Apart from the completely different building materials, there were also exquisite sculptures standing around these buildings. Although they couldn't be called perfect works of art, the value of these sculptures was probably no less than that of the buildings themselves.Compared with Southport and Avila, another obvious feature of Luxembourg was its long history.
The architectural styles of Francis VII or IX could be seen everywhere along the roads.Although it couldn't be denied that the most prosperous period in Francis' history was during the reign of Francis V. At that time, Francis almost dominated the whole world. However, that wise and mighty Emperor V didn't make any achievements in culture.And Francis VI, who was famous for being decadent in history books, was undoubtedly a genius in many other fields besides not being a good king.
This genius led to a cultural climax in Francis in the following one hundred years.During these one hundred years, countless talented artists emerged, and few people could surpass their achievements.And the architectural art of Francis VII's period had since become a thing of the past. Although many styles had been systematically preserved, there were no longer so many magnificent buildings that could be remembered forever.Walking among these buildings of different eras and looking at the works of art created by these masters, Ivan felt as if he had suddenly entered a long historical corridor. On this corridor were gathered the great achievements of various historical periods.Looking at all of this, Ivan was deeply intoxicated.
Just when Ivan was deeply attracted by all of this, their destination, the Luxembourg Cathedral, appeared in front of him.If there was one building in Luxembourg that was the most magnificent, it was undoubtedly this cathedral.More than 3,000 columns carved from white marble surrounded the church, and at the bottom of each marble column was carved an angel statue. The more than twenty marble steps in front of the church extended out, looking no different from a square.
The front of the church was a tower more than ten meters high, and on the side of the tower facing the square was installed a huge stained glass window sill.Although the main entrance of the church was not as wide as the city gate, it was almost as high.Both sides of the main entrance were decorated with numerous statues, which were truly works of art.The most conspicuous part of the cathedral was far from the ten-meter-high tower. The most breathtaking thing was the magnificent large dome.
The huge dome presented a perfect arc. Its simple shape didn't need any sculptures to decorate it. The huge dome itself was a masterpiece that astonished the world.Ivan now understood why so many architects and artists had a special preference for the large dome.Because this ingenious design could indeed give people an indescribable sense of perfection.Ivan was completely attracted by all of this. He lingered at the entrance of the cathedral. If Audrey hadn't pulled him, he might have been separated from the others long ago.After entering the cathedral, the feeling inside was completely different from the magnificent appearance of the church.
The main feature of the cathedral's exterior is its magnificent and imposing yet simple and lively style.When stepping inside, the first impression one gets is its resplendent and magnificent appearance.The entire main hall is covered with gold foil, and this gold foil has been carefully carved into beautiful patterns.Countless marble statues are used to adorn this sacred hall, and every one of them is a fine work of art.The sunlight shines through the colorful stained glass windows, dyeing everything inside the hall with beautiful colors.
A straight golden-yellow ray of sunlight shines down from the roof. This sacred and solemn scene reminds Ivan of the scene when he first met Teacher Lavash. Compared with the green light pillar in the teacher's laboratory, this golden ray of sunlight lacks that mysterious touch but has an added solemn and solemn atmosphere.Just when Ivan was immersed in this sacred and magnificent scene, suddenly a startled cry came from a distance: "Oh, my dear old friends, what happened to you? My goodness."