Imperial Crown.

Chapter 343 How dare you!

A cocktail party was held at the Sighing Wall.

Participating in the cocktail party included not only a small number of nobles from the Nord province, but also Eivor nobles from Iron Birch County and several surrounding counties.

As the news of Raven's three victories in three battles spread, especially after defeating Palmer and Faraday, the situation became clearer.

Anyone with a discerning eye could see that Eivor VIII and his cabinet were no longer able to interfere in the affairs of southern Eivor.

The Eivor people came here in search of support and shelter, and were not even reluctant to pay some money and property for it.

The Nord nobles finally dared to bet on Raven and gain more benefits for themselves.

Of course, they have to wait until the big guys have divided the cake before they are qualified to eat some of the leftovers.

There are only a limited number of big names in the Nordic province.

After the fall of the Fox family, Earl Tyrone was one, Archbishop Thomas was one, and Anthony was also one.

It’s just that Anthony’s actions since taking office have disappointed people, and he was not present at the event.

Therefore, the real big names in this game are only Tyrone, Thomas, and——

Raven.

He maintained his usual humble attitude, not showing any arrogance because of his achievements. He wore a decent and appropriate black suit, holding a silver goblet in his hand, and looked down at the noisy crowd in the hall.

The nobles gathered in groups of three or five, talking among themselves. Occasionally, someone would look up and make eye contact with Raven, and they would appear flattered.

No matter if they were viscounts or barons, no matter if they were from Nord or Eivor, they all bowed and saluted immediately.

Even though Raven had already looked away.

They discussed Raven's achievements, and no one showed any dissatisfaction.

It was as if everything was supposed to be this way, Raven was supposed to sit at the big shot's table.

They had completely forgotten that just seven years ago, Raven was still a laughing stock in the aristocratic circle.

Thomas and Tyrone's attitudes have also quietly changed.

Especially the Earl of Tyrone.

Looking at Raven, who was confident and calm, as if he had everything under control, Tyrone simply could not connect this man with the young man who appeared in Mon'en City five years ago.

At that time, also at the banquet, Raven took a piece of fat from him and Montreal's mouths and took advantage of the situation to enrich himself.

But after all, it is just a small trick, a little gimmick, a conspiracy that cannot be shown on the surface.

No matter how well you do it, it will appear a bit slick.

But now, Raven really has the dignity and bearing of a person in a high position.

That was not the nobility cultivated from an aristocratic family, but the calm confidence that came from fighting with swords and guns and then settling down.

A 3rd level magician with 13000 elite armored and battle-hardened soldiers under his command. This kind of strength is enough to be considered a considerable force, not to mention in the Nord Province, even in the entire empire.

"Sir Raven." At this point, addressing Raven by his current title was meaningless. "What is your next plan?"

"Keep heading north." Raven said frankly, "Opportunities are rare and can never come back."

"Now is the time when the Principality of Aivor is at its weakest. We must continue to expand our victory and not give them any time to react or prepare."

"In two days, I will lead the army to set off."

"However, I still need your help, Earl Tyrone, to deal with the problems at the rear."

Tyrone felt a little relieved when he heard this.

It seems that Raven was not carried away by victory.

Since Tyrone came here in person, of course he wanted to obtain the benefits that matched his status as an earl. If Raven didn't speak up and actively asked him for "help", Tyrone would naturally have a way.

But if he did that, Anthony would most likely discover his flaw and take advantage of it, and without Raven's cooperation, his next actions would be ineffective.

"To say I'm helping you is an exaggeration." Tai Long had completely treated Raven as an equal to him.

"Mr. Raven has made such great contributions to the empire. Of course, our Slater family must fully support and contribute to the empire."

"Your noble character deserves the respect of everyone." Raven said with a smile:
"Then, in order to ensure the stability of our rear food supply and prevent us from being attacked from both sides, can you handle Ximu County, South Gordon River County, and the western part of Bolan County?"

Tyrone's heart was pounding.

Ximu County and South Gordon River County are two counties adjacent to the west of Tiehua County and have always been very prosperous; not to mention Bolan County, which has the famous Bolan Gold Mine in its west.

"No problem. I can guarantee that no Eivor soldier will be able to pass through my defense zone from the west and harass Lord Raven's flank."

Neither of them mentioned the issue of the distribution of several eastern counties because they both knew tacitly that Anthony had not arrived yet.

Anthony must have a share of this cake.

Of course, compared with these counties in the west, the eastern part is slightly poorer and the terrain is mountainous, making it more difficult to conquer.

But who can blame Anthony for not coming yet?

Raven raised his glass with a smile: "Then I'll leave it to Earl Tyrone."

"Besides that, I have another unwelcome request."

"Can Sir Hyde accompany me to the north to fight?"

Tai Long's eyes sparkled and a smile appeared on his lips:
"Since Lord Raven doesn't mind my useless son holding you back, there is no problem."

In fact, if the interests were maximized, Tyrone should have taken over Raven's work at this time and presided over all matters related to the Northern Expedition.

But he can't do that.

Not to mention, that would also bring in Anthony, the hungry wolf.

The most fundamental reason is that the Slater family is an earl family, and it is an earl family in the corner of the empire, and it has reached the limit of promotion.

No matter how many merits he has, his title cannot be elevated, and his territory cannot be substantially expanded.

Being too prominent will only make His Majesty the King suspicious.

Therefore, helping Raven and doing auxiliary work can not only fulfill one's obligations as a member of the empire, but also bring some substantial benefits to the family.

The same logic applies to Anthony.

And now, Raven has taken the initiative to propose to take Hyde with him to continue the journey. The credit can fall on Hyde himself, rather than the entire Slater family.

It is always a good thing for a big family to have a strong branch.

The two of them had reached a tacit understanding. Archbishop Thomas, who had remained silent all this time, finally spoke: "Mr. Raven, after three consecutive wars, I'm sure you have suffered a lot of casualties among your soldiers, right?"

"As the bishop of Nord Diocese, it really pains me to see the Lord's followers suffer such a disaster."

"So, do you need some divine magicians to heal the wounds of your army?"

Since Bosse of the Ivor Parish had broken the tacit understanding between them, Thomas no longer had to worry about anything.

Compared to the Nordic province, the development of the Church of Light in the Principality of Eivor was not actually smooth.

Especially with the lessons learned from the Storm Dynasty and the current situation where the Church of the Kingdom of Lozeren controls everything, small countries like Eivor are particularly wary of the Church of Light.

Even the cabinet of the Keynes Empire has members of the church, but there is no trace of the church at the high-level meetings of the Principality of Eivor.

A more practical example is that although the economic size and population of the Principality of Eivor are far larger than those of the Nordic Province, the amount of its tithe is less than 1/4 of that of the Nordic Province.

If Raven's advance can popularize the Church of Light, it will be another great achievement for Thomas.

In fact, after hearing about the atrocities committed by Palmer and Faraday in the Iron Birch District, Thomas wished he could grow wings and fly over here.

This devastated environment is the most suitable soil for the growth of the Church of Light.

Raven knew what Thomas was thinking, and he also knew that getting too close to the Church of Light was not what His Majesty the King wanted to see.

But he wasn't going to take no for an answer.

In any case, he alone cannot fight against the endless stream of extraordinary people in the entire principality. It would certainly be great to have the support of the Church of Light.

What's more, Anthony, a close minister of His Majesty the King, could seek help from the Church of Light. So what's wrong with him being a mere baron cooperating with the Church of Light for the sake of the empire?

"I see the mercy of the Lord of Light in you." Raven touched his chest with his hand: "As His believer, I certainly won't reject your kindness."

Next, some details.

For example, how many soldiers will Hyde bring to follow Raven north, and how many clergymen will Thomas take out to join Raven's team.

The final negotiation result made everyone very satisfied.

The number of soldiers under Hyde's command expanded to a legion, including 2000 heavy armored soldiers.

The entire legion is composed of the Slater family's elite private soldiers, and they are by no means comparable to ordinary conscripted serfs.

Thomas, on the other hand, provided Raven with a dozen priests, a total of 12 people.

其中3阶神术师3人，2阶神术师4人，1阶神术师5人。

Of course, Raven also has to return the favor.

The interests of the Slater family have been divided. In addition to the priests, Thomas also sent hundreds of grassroots priests and nuns to join the army in order to preach with the army.

Two days later, Raven led his army to set off on time.

……

at the same time.

Under the escort of Hoyaz, Hu Xia finally arrived at Blue Castle, the capital of the Principality of Eivor.

Walking in the Possa Palace, Hu Xia finally felt what the wealth brought by power was.

It is now mid-September. Although it is a little chilly in the mornings and evenings, it is still very hot at noon.

But when walking in the Possa Palace, you don’t feel any dryness at all.

Hojaz could clearly feel the water element flowing in a certain regular pattern with the breeze - that was clearly a sign of magic at work. An entire palace that could accommodate 100,000 people was actually shrouded in a temperature control magic array.

I'm afraid that hundreds of gold coins are consumed every day. Every year, more than 10 gold coins are spent on this alone.

Being led to the side of the main hall by the palace eunuch, Hu Xia swallowed slightly and couldn't help feeling a little nervous.

Seeing the calm face of Hoyaz beside him, he took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down.

But it doesn't work.

Soon, the eunuch came out and led them inside.

The carpet is clean and smooth, even dotted with tiny gemstones of various colors; the relief carvings on the walls are outlined with gold and silver threads, which are not only full of artistic atmosphere, but if you look closely, you can also find strands of magical light flowing in them.

Compared to a formal diplomatic occasion, it was more like a private meeting.

Because there were too few people attending.

Eivor VIII sat on a high-back chair with a calm expression. He was intimidating without being angry, and had some of the dignity of a king or a landlord.

The only person sitting in front of him was Prime Minister Gatugen.

Apart from this, there was no one else, even the eunuch who had led the way had left.

Eivor VIII propped his chin with his hand and spoke slowly:
"Are you the messengers sent by Raven?"

Strange to say.

The surrounding environment and current tasks have brought tremendous pressure to Hu Xia.

But when he heard Eivor VIII's question, Hu Xia's heart, which had been beating wildly, suddenly calmed down.

He placed his hand on his chest, bowed, and looked directly at Grand Duke Eivor VIII with neither arrogance nor humility.

Hu Xia knew why he was so calm.

As a lord, Lord Raven usually laughs and scolds, and never deliberately has a stern face, but the victory after victory he brings has shaped his aura.

That kind of confidence, arrogance and majesty cannot be faked.

He can be as gentle as the spring breeze, but when he frowns, no one can disobey him.

But the Grand Duke in front of him, although well maintained, did not look much more mature than Lord Raven at the age of 42.

However, Hu Xia saw a hint of weakness and cowardice in him.

Compared to Lord Raven, Eivor VIII is like a tiger being kept in captivity.

He only managed to look respectable with his bone structure, but he lacked the ferocity and might of a wild animal.

"I am Hu Xia, the diplomatic envoy of Lord Raven." Hu Xia calmly raised his left hand with four rings on it. "This is He Yaz, my bodyguard."

This calm attitude made Eivor VIII a little angry:
"Haha, I've seen how rude Raven is!"

"You killed Earl Wanda, Earl Tudor, and Earl Palmer a few days ago."

"And now, you two little fellows who are not even knights appear in front of me."

"Aren't you two afraid of death?!"

The sinister words echoed in the hall, as if dozens or even hundreds of people were shouting and cursing in unison!
But both Hu Xia and He Yaz showed complete calmness.

"Since we are human, how can we not be afraid of death?" Hu Xia smiled slightly:
"But Your Highness, since we are Lord Raven's envoys, we have already prepared for the worst when we received the order."

"Besides, you are a great duke of a country and you have a broad mind. How could you punish us just because we are a little bit disrespectful?"

Gatugen's expression was somewhat complicated.

He had already noticed that when Hu Xia and He Yaz walked into the hall, there was curiosity and excitement in their eyes, but no fear.

Raven is just a small baron, and any two of his subordinates are such talents, but looking at the Principality of Eivor... Alas!

Gatugen sighed silently.

As expected, Eivor VIII was left speechless. He coughed lightly and his expression softened.
"It really is quite courageous."

"Since you call yourselves messengers, why are you here this time?"

Hu Xia straightened up: "We come here for peace."

"The war has caused huge losses to your country and us. Now is the time to stop the war."

"So, this time, we brought a handwritten letter from Lord Raven, as well as a great gift for you."

Although he knew that Hu Xia's words were just polite talk, Eivor VIII still felt much warmer in his heart.

It seems that Raven also suffered losses!

After a cough, an old palace servant appeared from the shadows in the corner and walked up to Hoyaz with a tray.

The wooden box and the letter were placed on the tray, and a magical light came on, washing over the two items.

After confirming that there was no magical mechanism, the old eunuch brought the plate to Eivor VIII.

The Grand Duke took up the letter and read it without hesitation.

To be honest, with the defeat of Palmer and Faraday, Eivor VIII was unable to sleep or eat, and was unable to eat or sleep at night.

If we could achieve a ceasefire, that would be great!

At worst, we can just give a little more money - it’s coming from the national treasury anyway.

"Tsk..."

Eivor VIII frowned, looking a little strange.

Raven's handwriting is so ugly!

Eivor VIII's homework when he was 3 years old was better than this!

But thinking that Raven was born into a low-class family and was just a "little bee", the Grand Duke "generously" let go of this section and continued reading.

The beginning was all boring nonsense, but it became more and more ridiculous as time went on.

Eivor VIII gripped the letter more and more tightly, and his knuckles turned paler and paler.

He seemed to see Raven's despicable face, which he had never seen before!
"Your Highness, I know you are not a strong person. Although I can break through your defense and capture you alive, it would be too shameful for you, wouldn't it?"

"Besides, if we really defeat Eivor, it will be a big problem in diplomacy. It's too much trouble for a small baron like me."

"So, please do not refuse the conditions I am going to offer you next."

"But before you read on, please take a look at my gift - it's the perfect expression of my sincerity."

Eivor VIII's body was trembling.

This is the first time in his life that someone has communicated with him in this tone!

But Raven's battle record was right in front of him, and if there was any possibility, he didn't want the peace talks to collapse.

So, Eivor VIII had to reach out and want to see what Raven had brought him.

Squeak.

The box opened and a human head appeared in front of it.

A bloody head!
That's the head of Marquis Faraday!

"what--"

Eivor VIII, who had been pampered since childhood, had never seen such a scene before. He howled and knocked the box away.

Faraday's round head swayed back and forth on the ground, which also stunned Gatugen.

Eivor VIII's gaze uncontrollably returned to the letter.

"Surprised? Your Highness."

"Faraday has the same blood as you. If I had kept him, I could have established another principality, but I still killed him."

"This shows my sincerity."

"So, I hope you can agree to my next proposal-"

"The 18 counties of the Principality of Eivor are, as you would say, 'regions'."

"I need you to cede to me the control of the seven regions in the southern part of the principality, including Aofuwan, South Gordon River, Ximu, Tiehua, Chaiqiao, Luoyel, and Zhentowen."

"Besides that, Bolan County is bounded by Bolan City. The south is under my control; the north..."

Eivor VIII could no longer bear to read the following content.

This was the first time in his life that he had been insulted like this!
Asking him to cede territory, does Raven really think he will be a king who loses his country?!
thump—

Kicking over the plate in the palace servant's hand, Eivor VIII stood up from his high-backed chair and roared:
"How dare you!!!"

"Gatugan, give me an order immediately, let Quentin lead the army and attack southward!"

"I don't care how much money he spends or how many people die, just bring Raven's head back to me, bring it back!!!"

Before Gatugen could speak, Hu Xia said firmly:
"Your Highness, please think about it for a while and don't reject our Lord's sincerity so easily."

"The next peace talks will not be held under such relaxed conditions."

Aiwo's eyes were filled with bloodshot, and he roared like a mad tiger:

"Conditions? Loose!?"

"Someone, someone, someone! Drag them away and behead them! I will use their skulls to decorate my palace!"

Gatugen secretly winked at the guards who rushed in.

……

(End of this chapter)