Chapter 681 The Prince's Temptation
Castres is truly a magical place.
Betty knew that if it weren't for Castel, the humorous bald middle-aged man in front of her could only be the almighty Duke.
The noble lords shook hands and talked with him not because they were kind-hearted, but because Castel's ironclad ship was parked in the harbor not far away. He could see the airship when he looked up, and there were patrols of the secret order on the street.
Betty's eyes flashed.
It was the Crusaders of the Imperial Truth who pulled her out of the ruins of Blood Harbor, it was the relief funds approved by Shuster that helped her arrange her parents' funeral, and it was Castel's school that allowed her to have food to eat and prevent her from starving to death.
Even if little Gwen hadn't disappeared, she would have donated some money to the church.
Looking at the Duke in front of her, Bettys suddenly felt less nervous.
She had never eaten the Duke's food, nor had she received any help from him. He and she just happened to be standing on the same land.
"It's so delicious, give me another one!" Alvarez exclaimed and handed over a Rio.
"Thank you for your patronage!" Bettys smiled skillfully and threw Leo into the cash box on the side. The sound of coins colliding mixed with the sound of bubbles coming out of boiling oil drifted away with the wind in the morning light of Blood Harbor.
This is a magical land where there is always sea breeze, sunshine and hope.
"You let them go?"
The prince withdrew his gaze from the window. The aroma of fried fish squeezed in from the gap, and Hughes couldn't help swallowing.
"Yes, Alvarez has shown clear signs of progress and reform during his studies at Castel. I think sending him back is a better option—he will bring change to the North."
"I think the reckoning should be done by cutting the roots." The prince spoke softly, as if he was talking about a trivial matter not worth mentioning.
"That depends on what you are settling accounts for. If you are settling accounts for the nobles, then of course you should make them bleed to the last drop. But I am settling accounts for ignorance and conservatism, and he..."
Hughes raised his chin toward the window.
"He's not. Alvarez is even more receptive to new things than most Castell people. To be honest, his learning ability is just average, but I don't think his achievements will stop there."
The prince's eyes flickered, and he suddenly turned his head, looking at Xius intently, and asked, "Are you saying that you don't care about your status?"
"Yes, your background can only determine your past, but if you cling to outdated beliefs from the past, you won't be able to move towards the future."
After Hughes finished speaking, he handed over a document. The prince opened it, flipped through it quickly, and raised his eyebrows.
"Your delegation is truly outrageous. Did you manage to bring back His Holiness the Pope?"
“It was indeed a bit unexpected, but at least the mission was completed.”
Zoe and Gaia originally took a train from Blood Harbor to the North, and then from the North to Imperial Rhine.
But now there is the Pope's daughter, and because Beatrice's health is too poor, the delegation decided after discussion not to take the train and to fly directly back to Blood Harbor by airship.
This can avoid secondary damage. After all, no one knows whether Beatrice can withstand the ordeal of the transfer.
Therefore, in Baishi Castle, the delegation did not leave the airship, but simply sent someone to deliver a letter, replenished food and water, and then continued on their journey.
Well, there is no need to replenish the fuel. With Miss Fountain here, the pollution caused by the steam engine on the airship is increasing.
The train can get from the North to Blood Harbor in half a day, and the airship takes about the same amount of time.
The Wall of Despair is located almost at the westernmost end of the North. The total railway mileage from Whitestone Castle to Blood Harbor exceeds one thousand kilometers, and it takes more than ten hours for the train to make this trip.
Although the airship is slightly slower than the train, it can travel in a straight line without wasting time taking detours.
Unfortunately, the news about the diplomatic mission had already been delivered to Hughes by train, but the airship had not even flown halfway.
The airship is greatly affected by the weather. Zoe and her crew encountered a thunderstorm on the way and had to lower their altitude to avoid it. They have not been able to set off again yet.
The prince looked at the information in his hand but did not speak for a moment. This was the result he had been looking forward to, but at this moment his heart was drifting elsewhere.
"What do you plan to do with this Miss Pope? She is not only the Pope of the Candlelight Society and the Mechanical Temple, but also the Empress of the Empire."
"I've said before, I don't care about my identity, whether it's a duke, a church member, or a queen. People can't choose their own birth, but they can choose their own future." Zeus's voice was neither hurried nor slow, and there was always a sense of security when listening to it.
"So, it is Miss Beatrice who I will deal with, not the Pope and the Queen. My attitude depends on her choice."
"Surname, bloodline, faith, these are all very important things. The secular world uses them as a benchmark to divide people into noble and humble, but I don't care."
Zeus raised his head to meet the prince's gaze, and both of them saw the determination in each other's eyes.
Zeus knew that this was a test from the prince, and he understood why he did this.
This is a very important matter. They are about to unite and launch a war against the largest country on the continent that will sweep the entire world.
They must make their attitudes towards each other clear.
Hughes sat behind his desk, his expression unwavering.
He is no longer the young man who just traveled through time. He still has that passion in his heart, but he has been tempered by time and war.
He is no longer just an idealist with nothing. Sitting in this office is a genuine imperial border earl.
With only a book of enthronement and a few subordinates, he pacified the sea and the northern border, and now he is setting his sights on the Rhine.
"So when are you going to start the war?"
"Don't worry," the prince said softly. "I may also have a ritual to complete."
"Do you need help? You know, I got a lot of technology from the Mechanical Temple." Zeus raised his finger to the package. The technology given by Beatrice had been studied by the delegation on the airship and a copy had been made. Now it was in his hands in the car.
His words were suggestive, but the prince did not respond.
"No need, I have my own arrangements. There are many things involved in the war, and I need to prepare in advance."
Hughes nodded.
Now Caster is the real leader. It is naturally good that the prince is willing to send troops. Even if there is no prince and no Duchy of Tis, Caster is not afraid of fighting with the Candlelight Society.
Moreover, Castel has now entered a period of rapid expansion. Not only is Blood Harbor developing, but the North has also taken on a different structure.
Hughes turned his head to look at the window. Yami and Alvarez had already left Bettys's shop and walked towards the station.
They were ready to head north.
(End of this chapter)
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