The Demon King is unfathomable

Chapter 324: Set sail!
In the western part of the holy city, the autumn wind blows through the winter garden of the Valencia Palace, and under the glass dome there is a warm and quiet green.

The golden-red vines twined around the pillars, and the several maple trees growing indoors finally sensed the change of seasons, and their branches took on a deep, withered yellow.

It is now late autumn.

Although the great storm that swept across the Great Ocean destroyed large tracts of farmland in the New and Old Worlds, it did not seem to affect this garden.

In order to celebrate the coming auspicious snow, a tea party in the name of flower viewing is being held.

The silver tea set was neatly placed on the carved wooden table. The teapot exuded a mixed aroma of tequila and citrus, and the family emblem on the teacup was shining with gold - golden eagle wings, the symbol of the Valencia family.

In the Holy City, Valencia is a name that everyone knows, simply because this prominent family has produced three "Regents" in the past hundred years.

In the empire, the regent is second only to the emperor and above everyone else.

If the Emperor is the spokesperson of Saint Sith on earth, the immortal "Eternal Chosen One", then the Regent is the spokesperson of the Emperor.

In addition to representing His Majesty several times, the Valencia family also relied on its long-accumulated prestige to become the representative of the "Elder Faction" representing the interests of the traditional aristocracy, competing against the Aberg family representing the interests of the "Officer Faction" and the Gregory family leading the "Vatican Faction".

Since the emblem of the Valencia family is the "golden eagle wings", they are also listed as the "three heroes of gold, silver and bronze" in the Holy City along with the "silver oak" Lambert family, who are also elders, and the "bronze seahorse" Castellón family.

Whenever the Golden Family is mentioned, people can't help but think of them.

"Have you all read the letter?" Duke Albert Valencia leaned on the rattan chair, his eyes fixed on the guests before he raised his teacup. "The self-introduction of 'Prince Colin'... and his political arrangements in Deadwood Harbor."

"seen it already."

Duke Lambert placed a leather-covered booklet on the table, stroked the spine with his thumb, and said with a smile of approval, "Every word and sentence in the letter is in accordance with etiquette, the choice of words is exquisite, and it is dignified but not arrogant, only measured... It can be seen that his father has not neglected his teachings."

It was a letter sent from Her Highness Roxel Colin to the Imperial Capital. While expressing the Colin family's longing for the empire, it also sincerely proposed to hold a funeral for her father in the Holy City.

The Valencia family, who valued honor, certainly could not refuse such a request.

Especially in the eyes of Duke Albert Valencia, this prince from a distant continent was an excellent target to win over.

Duke Albert of Valencia raised his teacup and looked out the window at the church spire, his tone gentle but meaningful.

Seeing no one objected, he spoke.

"Everyone, I remember that the surname 'Colin' did have a record in the ancient Peter genealogy... Although this surname has not left a strong mark, its glory has not been completely forgotten."

Duke Lambert nodded slightly in approval and agreed.

"He strictly abides by the old ways, is very polite, and never steps out of line... This is completely different from those aristocrats who have fallen into depravity and exiled themselves to the new world."

"We don't necessarily need to accept him into our circle immediately, but if he can truly represent the revival of the 'old aristocratic spirit', at least—"

An earl gently placed the teacup on the tray, making a slight sound of porcelain clinking.

"——It's worth it for us to provide a 'ticket' to enter the Senate to pay our respects."

"Especially since he himself has shown an expectation of 'progress'."

The Duke of Valencia and the Duke of Lambert simultaneously turned their eyes to the Duke of Castellón, who remained silent.

The luxuriously dressed middle-aged nobleman stroked his long beard, thought carefully for a moment, and nodded slightly to show his agreement.

The three great men in the Senate had already nodded, and the rest of the nobles also agreed. In this way, the Elders, one of the three major factions in the Holy City, reached a consensus on the issue of Prince Colin - they decided to give the ancient family that had been away from home for many years a chance, and whether they could seize it depended on the young heir himself.

Outside the window, servants carefully covered the iron tree in the garden with cold-proof cloth, just as these old aristocrats carefully protected a name that was gradually being forgotten by the times.

At the same time, in the military district of the Holy City, in the Marshal's office behind the stone wall of the Imperial General Staff, the fire in the fireplace was burning slowly, illuminating the tall figure of Marshal Laco Aiberg.

If the Regent is the "first mortal" under the Emperor, then the Marshal is the Emperor's most trusted thug on earth.

Unlike those traditional nobles who value magic and despise martial arts, Marshal Laco is definitely an outlier in the imperial aristocratic circle.

Not only did he practice the "Dragon God School Fighting Skills" that only vulgar people would learn, he also reached the demigod level with his martial arts, and married a foreign woman with dragon blood.

The nobles of the Holy City therefore regarded the Aberg family as barbarians who ignored tradition. Even the relatively enlightened Pope Gregory IX was dissatisfied with his behavior.

Saint Sith does not forbid believers to practice the martial arts of the Dragon God, but at least the nobles of the empire have to marry a human girl, right?
However, unlike being unwelcome in the upper class, Marshal Laco and the Eberg family behind him enjoy extremely high prestige among the people of the empire, especially in the military!
As we all know, for commoners in the empire who want to be promoted to nobles, joining the army is almost the only "reliable" way. As for becoming an adventurer and defeating the devil to obtain the blessing of God, that is just a carrot hanging in front of a donkey, not worth mentioning.

Anyway, ignoring all the bullshit the bards say, the Aberg family is definitely a living legend in the Holy City!
The founder of his family was famous for his military exploits. As a soldier of commoner origin, he was awarded a territory by the Emperor himself as a hero!

In the past hundred years, three members of the Eberg family have served as imperial marshals, and the officers who have benefited from their grace are spread throughout the empire's army system.

Including General Hamelton, the "Imperial Griffin" of St. Ilburg, who was promoted by him!

At this moment, the marshal was holding a document in his hand, his brows were furrowed, and his sharp eyes were filled with careful thought.

This is a document from the Navy Command, which mentions General Hamelton's supply replacement plan and his own observations in the northern coastal area of ​​the Janna continent.

According to General Hamelton, it was a vast land of nearly seven million square kilometers, isolated in the vast ocean, and ruled by the people of the Dragon God.

Considering the Empire's significant interests in the vast ocean, the value of this undeveloped continent is self-evident. As the only "Imperial colonizer" on this continent, the value of the Colin family is even more self-evident.

Apparently—

Not only the Empire can see this, but Hell obviously sees this as well, and sees it as an opportunity to pry open the Empire's sphere of influence.

Almost at the same time when General Hamelton's boots set foot on Deadwood Harbor, the devil from hell also used the fallen sailors to drive a nail into the Stairway of the Sun Mountains near Deadwood Harbor.

Fortunately, General Hamelton was a man of foresight.

The strategic vision he demonstrated was as eye-catching as his performance in the counterattack at Port Saldo. Not only did he deal a heavy blow to the Demon King who had not yet established his foothold, he also used limited resources to unite the local colonists.

Just as Marshal Laco was carefully considering where to make his next move, there were clean footsteps and rhythmic knocks on the door outside.

"Please come in."

Iron boots stepped on the oak floor as his deputy Marcos walked into the office and placed a coded document neatly on his desk.

"Marshal, this is the second letter from General Hamelton, delivered to the Naval Staff Headquarters in the Holy City by the messenger familiar of Saint Ilburg. Hamelton repeatedly emphasized the actions of this 'Prince Colin' in the letter, especially his series of actions in Deadwood Port... As for the rest, I suggest you take a look at it yourself. This letter will be very helpful for us to understand the situation on the Janna Continent."

"Ah."

Laco nodded slowly and went back to sit at his desk.

Picking up the document, he opened the envelope and saw strong and powerful handwriting on the warm paper, in a typical military style.

The first line of words that caught Laco's eyes made him involuntarily reveal a hint of admiration.

[…During my stay at Deadwood Harbor, I witnessed with my own eyes the young prince providing valuable food supplies and port construction support to the Imperial warships.

This loyal and pragmatic prince has repeatedly stated that "the Colin family will always be loyal servants of the empire, forever loyal to the immortal emperor, and will always miss their homeland."

What is even more commendable is that he did not just talk, but took action! This respectable gentleman not only made great efforts to finalize the trade agreement, but also took out his own interests to solve our current difficulties!
Some prominent people in the Holy City should be ashamed of this. Their loyalty is not even as good as that of a prince who has never set foot on the empire's mainland...

】

Marcos coughed lightly and explained.

"General Hamelton's words were a bit extreme, but you know... he didn't mean to offend anyone. He was referring to the merchants who tried to take advantage of the chaos in the Imperial Navy's supply chain and the nobles who stood behind them."

"I know." Laco nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving the letter. After a moment, he added with appreciation, "It's rare to find someone who can be praised by a picky guy like Hamelton. This gentleman must have something special."

"That's what I thought, too." Marcos nodded slightly, paused for a moment and continued, "General Hamelton's letter also mentioned that Prince Colin still insisted on enforcing the laws of the Empire in Deadwood Harbor. Although their family has been separated from the Empire for many years, they have never forgotten their traditions... Even their eating habits are no different from ours."

Marshal Laco leaned back in his chair, gently rubbed the black iron ring on his finger, and after a moment of silence, he asked, "Did Hamelton mention why Prince Colin suddenly decided to return to the Holy City?"

"He mentioned it in another letter," Malcos answered seriously. "Hammondon said that he returned to the Holy City to hold a formal funeral for his deceased father to express his respect for his father and family bloodline. At the same time, this is also his father's wish... Colin's family has longed to return to their homeland for generations, even though many of them have completely disappeared in that strange continent."

If you die in a land abandoned by God, your soul cannot ascend to heaven...

The tightly furrowed brows trembled slightly, and the word "father" touched the softest spot in Marshal Laco Eberg's heart.

"Loyalty is the cornerstone of the Empire, whether it is loyalty to the Emperor, loyalty to the Empire, or loyalty to our fathers, to our families, to the people we defend... This young man named Roxel Colin is a nobleman worthy of respect."

The different Senates are a bunch of beasts in human skins.

Those who clamor about tradition have long forgotten what tradition is, leaving only a superficial appearance and a core that has long been rotten.

The Saints will not save them.

The big storm is their punishment!
on the contrary--

A truly reliable young man was released from the "cage", and at this critical juncture.

No matter what outrageous things the Colin family did 500 years ago that caused them to be abandoned by the gods, at least at this moment Saint Sith chose him.

Laco was willing to believe that this was the will of the gods.

Even though he didn't know this man's character yet, he was willing to give the young man a chance - the Colin family could sit on the chariot of the empire, become loyal warriors of His Majesty the Emperor, and serve as a reliable shoulder for the "officer faction" to check and balance the old nobles and clergy!

The sound of wind outside the window gradually grew louder, and the branches gently tapped against the glass.

Laco stood up, walked to the display stand, and took down a sword with a black iron eagle wing emblem from the shelf. This sword was the one he used when he was on the battlefield. Although it had not been used for a long time, it was still as sharp as new and exuded a faint sacred aura.

He gently rubbed the eagle emblem on the hilt with his thumb and seemed to have made some decision.

"Go and draft a letter," he instructed, turning his back to Marcos, "I want to invite this prince to attend my son's coming-of-age ceremony... It should be in time."

If the prince is indeed someone worthy of the Aberg family's winning over, this sword will be given to him as a gift!
Marcos' expression changed, and he immediately understood what the marshal meant and nodded respectfully.

"As ordered!"

The sound of the wind outside the window was getting faster and faster, just like the undercurrent brewing in the shadow of the holy city's prosperity, which was becoming more and more turbulent as the tide approached.

Before Prince Colin's Purple Moon arrived at the port of the Holy City, two of the three major factions of the empire had already expressed their intention to win him over.

Although the Holy See of St. Francis, which represents the interests of the clergy, has not yet taken any clear action, it does not mean that the clergy are indifferent to this.

Spreading the faith of Saint Sissi is their lifelong mission.

The faith territory of the old world no longer has room for further expansion, and the land of the new world has already been sown with the seeds of holy light.

In contrast, the continent of Janna is an undeveloped land.

Since Saint Sith sent this land to them, it must be for his children to save those raw and blood-drinking lizards.

The College of Cardinals has been arguing for several rounds about who to send there as a missionary.

Although it is not fertile soil there, developing pagans can accumulate huge merits and accumulate enough "points" for the soul's advancement in the next life.

Although those "cardinals" themselves can no longer be promoted, their relatives and apprentices still have such needs.

In the secret room at the rear nave of St. Clement's Cathedral, the holy stone hall is filled with the smell of ambergris and purple smoke is floating from the incense burner.

This is the stronghold of the Order of St. Clement and also the holy place where Pope Gregory IX communicated with the gods and received oracles.

At this moment, His Holiness the Pope is sitting on a bench in a platinum-patterned robe, with his hands clasped together, bathed in the golden candlelight.

The holy candles that were hard to come by in the distant Principality of Campbell are now as common here as stalagmites in stalactite caves. "I heard his prayer in the holy light..." Gregory IX's voice was as soft as the ethereal holy light. "In front of everyone, he did not quote the oracle, but only whispered - 'May Saint Six have mercy on those who died in the storm', and then saved the people trapped in the flood with his own hands."

The presiding judge sat behind him in silence, without commenting on the poetic oracle, and even suspected that this was not what the Pope really saw in the oracle.

Generally speaking——

Oracles predict future events and rarely mention things that have already happened.

Unless there is an even bigger storm after the big storm...

He hoped that this would not be the case.

Gregory IX slowly opened his eyes, as if he could see thousands of miles away: "He is not a shepherd, but he understands faith better than many wolves in sheep's clothing. You should put aside your prejudice. At least... since he came back on his own initiative, we should treat him with courtesy."

"But he has been hanging out with pagans for years..." the chief judge said in a hoarse and low voice, "You know what those lizardmen are. They are all descendants of the Dragon God, and the Dragon God has no reason to allow His servants to live."

After a pause, he continued.

"I'm worried that there's some unspeakable secret behind this."

It is true that the Dragon God was once an ally of Saint Sith, but their relationship was definitely not close, especially when that dirty reptile betrayed Him at the most critical moment.

According to the secret files and murals of the church, the Dragon God has an unstable temperament and unpredictable moods. He is as treacherous and cunning as Novel, the "Strange Mist" among the Four Evil Gods of Chaos, and his descendants have completely inherited this from him.

All the cardinals were planning to spread the gospel, but only the Inquisition had reservations - as the chief judge, he believed that those cancers of civilization should be thoroughly cleaned up!
This is not only for the long-term interests of the church, but also for the long-term stability of the empire.

"That's not important." The Pope's tone was gentle but majestic. His golden pupils stared into the eyes of the Chief Judge and he slowly said, "If he is willing to protect the faith and order of the Holy City, we should grant him the protection of the altar."

After saying this, he looked at Cardinal Hilfen, who had remained silent throughout, and spoke in a kind but stern voice.

"Go arrange a 'chance encounter'."

"We need not test his mercy, but we must test his faith. He must know that the light of God can shine upon him—or it can burn him up."

Hilfen saluted gracefully. His movements and demeanor did not seem like those of a priest. Instead, he looked like an aristocrat who had been mingling in the world of fame and fortune for many years.

"As ordered."

The flame of the holy candle danced, and the metal chalice cast a distorted shadow on the wall, like the invisible hand of the Vatican reaching out to secular power.

The shadow of the chief judge disappeared on the bench at some point, and the only sound in the empty room was the prayer that Gregory IX was quietly reciting.

The chief judge's suspicion was correct.

The oracle that Saint Six gave him was not the poem he had just sung, because he really didn't know how to explain it to his believers.

In the bizarre dream, he saw a holy city that was far more prosperous than the current one, so much so that he couldn't take his eyes off it for a while.

It was a colorful illusion, like a boiling flame, burning him so hard that he couldn't open his eyes.

And the thousands of human figures moving in the metal traffic.

People spend every day busy and fulfilling, and continue to dedicate themselves after death, weaving their souls into a vast city in the universe as vast as the stars.

This seems to be a good omen.

He was amazed at the incredible oracle, but also puzzled as to what kind of revelation the respected God wanted to give to His children.

All along, he had seen in the parables was a flood, and the interpretation of successive popes was that people who abandoned their faith were punished by the gods, a world-destroying flood would overturn everything, and people on earth would once again begin a new era.

And now, the fate of the flood seems to be replaced by "fire", and the flames burning in nothingness are unfolding on the land paved with steel!

flame……

Gregory IX muttered to himself, trying to unravel the fable.

This seems to have nothing to do with Prince Colin who came from the sea. After all, no matter from which angle you look at it, he corresponds to "water" and "wind" when he comes from the sea with the wind.

If we say that the steam engine corresponds to "fire", that would be a bit far-fetched.

Gregory shook his head slightly, sighed, and finally ended this meaningless exploration of the spiritual world.

Perhaps this fable is just about a huge storm sweeping across the vast ocean and has nothing to do with the prince, and the real omen will not be seen until decades later.

Countless historical lessons told them that the oracle was a warning from Saint Sith to them, just like a rope around the neck of the person being judged; the more they struggled, the tighter the rope would become.

Perhaps the root of the problem is not the oracle itself, but the many problems they have ignored for a long time...

That is not something a pope can change.

At this moment, he can only express his anxiety through prayer, hoping that perhaps everything will turn around in the near future.

Just as it has happened countless times over the past millennia...

……

On the other side, outside the church, there is a dark corner where the holy light cannot reach.

There is also a secret room there.

But compared to the secret room in St. Clement's Cathedral, this place is much colder and darker, just like a coffin buried in a tomb.

A succubus sculpture only half a meter high sits at the front of the secret room. The granite shrine exudes a captivating atmosphere.

An elegant gentleman stood in front of the statue, his face obscured by the shadow cast by the candlestick.

After listening to the teachings of the evil force, the man standing with his hands hanging saluted respectfully, and his calm voice was filled with obedience and awe.

"…Yes, Master Melusine."

"I'll keep an eye on him."

……

Early morning at the dock of Deadwood Harbor.

The sea breeze blew away the morning mist, and the golden sunlight sprinkled on the harbor where it is summer all year round, illuminating the brand new pier.

A tall three-masted steam sailing ship was anchored at the dock. Its white sails were particularly dazzling in the morning light, and the purple moon emblem symbolizing the Colin family was flying on the top of the mast.

The Empire's construction team was still working, and marines carrying muskets were patrolling along the streets in front of the port. General Hamelton and his fleet had already withdrawn from here, and the Purple Moon became the most dazzling sailing ship on the dock.

After all, Hamelton is a general of St. Irburgh and does not belong to Deadwood Port, so he cannot guard this place forever for Prince Colin.

Even though Hamilton himself was reluctant to give up the delicious food here, business was more important, so he said goodbye and left shortly after getting the agreement.

Just after Hamelton left, Luo Yan quickly put the plan of going to the Holy City on the agenda and chose this sunny morning as the time of departure.

Although he did not leave with much fanfare, when he was about to leave, the port was still filled with people coming to see him off.

The vast majority of residents of Deadwood Harbor have a very good impression of him, and some even feel a little grateful to him.

Although Governor Kadsen is a greedy villain who even wants to make money from flour, and Baron Teach is an arrogant guy, he fits their stereotype of all nobles in the Old World. Not only does he indulge his subordinates in competing with the people for profit, he also turns a deaf ear to complaints like snowflakes.

But Roxie Colin, who is elegant and loves the people, is different.

He was like their father, always running around for their affairs, working day and night, not even having a bite of food to eat every day... and could only have midnight snacks at night.

Just like now.

The Honorable Prince Colin is about to go to the Holy City to bury his father's ashes and to resolve the legal status of those who have decided to settle in this new land.

Only if the Empire recognized them could they continue to be citizens of the Empire and legally operate routes in Deadwood Port and other ports of the Empire without worrying about being blackmailed by the Empire's fleet.

As for taxation...

That’s nothing, what’s coming will come.

Moreover, newly established colonies generally have a tax-free policy, and this policy will last until fifty years, or until the empire believes that the colony is developed enough to shoulder the ancient and sacred obligation of paying taxes.

Looking at the crowd of people seeing him off at the port, Teach, standing on the deck, had a complicated expression and sighed after a long time.

“The day I left the Holy City… I never thought I would go back this way.”

He felt excited, nervous, and a little confused about where his future would go.

Luo Yan, who was standing next to him, just glanced at him indifferently.

"Have you finished the autobiography I asked you to write?"

Tiqi's expression tensed and he spoke immediately.

"The outline... has been conceived."

Luo Yan nodded.

"Show me your work once you've finished it. I'll help you revise any immature parts. Also... I want you to tell me something about the Holy City along the way, such as the families and forces there. I need to know who can be our potential allies and who will become our enemies."

"Yes, sir." Teach nodded respectfully and performed a standard imperial aristocratic court etiquette.

The fate of the Cosia family is firmly tied to the devil, and he knows very well that he will never be able to get off this ship.

One wrong step will lead to eternal hell.

Luo Yan nodded and did not continue to put too much pressure on him. Instead, he looked at Lumire who was walking slowly towards him - his most loyal human servant.

Lumier nodded slightly and said respectfully.

"Sir, the sailors are ready, please give the order."

Half of the sailors on the ship were recruited from Deadwood Port, and the other half were servants of the Demon King - some artificial humans who looked strange but were not much different from humans.

Of course, they announced to the outside world that they were the "Jana people" - a new ethnic group formed after the drowning people who drifted to the Jana continent in the past five hundred years and mixed with the savages in the forest.

Luo Yan squinted his eyes, looked at the rolling tides in the east and the rising sun above the sea, and a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.

The moment finally came.

Long before he became the Demon King, he had wanted to go there and take a look.

He drew out his wand and waved it gently towards the upright sail. A strong and steady sea breeze blew out of nowhere, pushing the Purple Moon, which was docked at the pier, away from the harbor.

The sailors who received the order immediately got busy.

the goal--

The Holy City of the Empire!
It's time to spread the Demon King's corruption there!

"Raise the sails and set sail!"

(End of this chapter)