When the Saint comes, she does not collect food

#136 - Goodbye, Carrie

"Was Casti dismissed?"

When the displaced people clearing the river returned to the new camp, Horn learned from them an unexpected but reasonable piece of news.

"Yes, Your Excellency."

Because it was in the displaced people's camp, these people did not address Horn with titles like 'Ten Thousand Votes'.

A burly, bearded displaced person couldn't help but laugh and said, "You should have seen the scene. When the drenched Duke was pulled out, he was about to go crazy.

The Duke brought back his aristocratic fiancée this time, and Lord Casti made the Duke lose face in front of his future wife.

Lord Casti was scolded severely and ordered to stay home and abstain from alcohol, not allowed to come out until successful. The position of City Hall Secretary was then handed over to another Fran courtier."

Horn couldn't help but shake his head and smile wryly. That old fellow drinks himself drunk every day; he deserved it.

"Actually, this is quite strange." Sisi walked over from the side. After arriving at Jeanneburg, she quickly changed into simpler dresses that she wore more often.

"Why? Isn't it just a normal personnel change?"

"How could that big bald head, Danne, find a pure-blooded Fran noblewoman to be his wife?"

"Isn't that a bit impolite of you to say?"

Sisi rolled her eyes at Horn, "I'm being serious. The imperial aristocratic circle has long been repulsed by Danne.

I could believe it a bit if he married a Norn or Leia noblewoman, but he's marrying a Fran noblewoman."

This surprised Horn.

This requires mentioning the special nature of the Fran Kingdom.

Among the three kingdoms within the Empire, the Fran Kingdom is the only one that successfully completed monarchical centralization with the dual blessing of the Imperial Emperor and the Pope.

You must know that most of the Fran Kingdom's nobles do not live off fiefdoms but off noble annuities paid by the kingdom's treasury. A third of the country's nobles are concentrated in the Fran capital, Flower Hill City.

Due to its centralized nature, the nobles are dependent on the Fran King.

Compared to the divided opinions of Leia and Norn, the Fran aristocratic circle is small, and their stance on such matters is very unified.

"Could it be a scammer?"

Pretending to be a Fran noblewoman to deceive older, single noblemen from the countryside is an imperial specialty, a must-try.

"I don't know about that." Sisi shook her head. "Duke Danne has been scammed several times. He has more experience than us; he shouldn't fall for it again, right?"

"Never mind, help me contact him; I'll visit him tomorrow."

"I've already sent someone to contact him." Sisi seemed to remember something. "Also, you'd better buy three months' worth of grain for your old camp first."

"What's wrong?"

Sisi smiled bitterly, "I got some news that the Bay Creek Avenue has been damaged, and it will be very difficult to transport cheap disaster relief grain from the coast into Thousand River Valley.

With the canal here being hit by the Duke, large ships can hardly pass through. Next, grain prices are expected to skyrocket."

Horn rubbed his temples, the situation in Thousand River Valley was like a goat being milked.

"Then please help me buy some." Horn looked at the lights rising from the large tent in the new camp. "The award ceremony is about to begin; I have to go."

………………

The magnificent hall was filled with exquisite bone decorations, and the empty walls displayed the glorious history of the Papal State.

The greasy long table was filled with large loaves of bread and a dazzling array of peasant wine in various cups.

Beside the long table, the high-ranking noble dignitaries of the Papal State elegantly crossed their legs and spat, looking up as Madelaine announced the names one by one during the ceremony.

"…a total of five people are awarded the title of Grand Marshal…"

Five Grand Marshals came forward, and Horn personally tied the new patchwork bags for them.

"…Saintess Jeanne, with outstanding military achievements, is promoted to the Grand Commander of the Holy Grail Knights, and the Holy Grail Knights are recruiting a new division!"

"…The twelve elders on the above list, due to their outstanding achievements, are granted an extra vote each."

This meant that these twelve elders could each enjoy two votes when voting.

The thirty-four new elders only had one vote.

"Because Saint Grandson Horn led everyone through many difficulties, Messala sent a message last night to confer on His Excellency Horn the title of Marshal Leader, with an additional hundred votes!"

In Madelaine's loud voice, Horn, the most important figure in this award ceremony, finally appeared.

As the first leader of the Papal State, Horn naturally went on stage with pleasure and delivered a brief but powerful speech to the elders and new nobles present, which received countless applause:

"Everyone, eat well and drink well!"

The ceremony was very simple, only the heads of ten households and some active displaced people were invited to participate.

Due to the large number of people, the food was only vegetable soup and wheat bread, but Horn still spent his own money to buy them some sausages, offal, and bitter wine.

As for those displaced people, they also received extra meals and bone soup in the evening.

In a joyous atmosphere, the brightly lit Papal Palace, the elders and new nobles of the El Third Empire gathered together to toast.

The elders wore gorgeous burlap robes, and the new nobles were not to be outdone, showcasing their style through unique openwork fashion costumes.

Amidst the clinking of glasses, the issues discussed by the upper echelons were equally profound.

Unlike the imperial nobles who liked to talk about gossip and family lines, the elders were more fond of discussing metaphysical philosophy.

"I think this cream soup should be mixed with lime mortar because the length of this iron nail can easily directly affect the glass window of the pickaxe."

"I disagree because the large amount of magic generated at that moment, commonly known as cereal, will seriously affect the development of wool fabrics!"

In this increasingly cheerful atmosphere, no one noticed that His Holiness the Pope had quietly left the scene at some point.

In a tributary river bend more than three miles outside the new camp, Horn steadily stopped his horse. Under that laurel tree, he saw Carrie in a white dress.

Leading the horse, stepping on the moonlight, the river water gurgled.

Horn walked to Carrie's front; it would be better if he didn't have to look up at her.

"Are you really in such a hurry to leave?"

"My sister came out to play, and I missed so many important things. The situation is a mess. The sooner I go back, the better the situation will be."

Standing by the river bend, the night wind blew Carrie's skirt in all directions, her curvy figure was the shape of the wind.

Horn looked at her but did not speak.

"What? Can't bear to part with me?"

"Not really, just a little emotional."

"Seriously." Carrie took a step forward, came to Horn's front, and said with a serious face, "Why don't you just come with me now? Those evidence can be handed over by others."

After a long silence, Horn laughed, "Be careful on the road, remember to cover yourself with a blanket, don't catch a cold."

Grabbing Horn's arm, Carrie's red pupils stared firmly at Horn, "Horn, I have a premonition."

"You've become a divination witch?"

Patting Carrie's head, Horn took a step back with some emotion, so he could see the full view of Carrie.

Looking at Carrie, Horn suddenly had a sense of loneliness like a father watching his daughter go to elementary school alone.

"You know what? You remind me of my sister…"

Before Horn could finish speaking, Carrie stuck her tongue in.

Then that homesickness disappeared completely.

Horn raised his head, forcing Carrie's tongue away from his mouth.

"See if you dare to look at me and think of Jeanne again." Carrie said fiercely.

"I'm not talking about her."

"Do you have other sisters?" Carrie looked at Horn suspiciously.

"No!" Horn replied immediately, "Your kiss is paid back."

Carrie didn't dwell on it too much. She took out a glass whistle from her chest and put it in Horn's hand: "Six days later, you blow this whistle near here, and then on the seventh day, my people will take you and Sisi to the boarding location.

If you encounter danger, blow this whistle as well; it has no sound, but my people can hear it."

"Got it." Carefully putting the glass whistle away, Horn looked at Carrie but didn't know what to say.

In fact, whether it was Horn or Carrie, to some extent, they knew nothing about each other.

But to some extent, the relationship between the two was a strange emotion like that of a Pokémon and a trainer.

In the mist on the water at night, torches floated like ghosts, running on the water.

When the boat docked, a short, black-haired woman held a torch, standing at the bow, silently looking at Horn and Carrie.

Without looking back at the woman, Carrie stared straight into Horn's eyes:

"Are you really not coming with me?"

"I still have things to do. Besides, we'll see each other again soon."

Over Carrie's shoulder, Horn nodded towards the black-haired woman behind her. He reached out to pat Carrie's head but retracted his hand and just took half a step back.

"Then I'm leaving, see you in ten days!"

"Goodbye!"

Standing in place, Carrie watched Horn's figure disappear into the night before turning around and stepping onto the boat.

"Long time no see, Carrie." The white-haired witch said indifferently to the person who came.

The black-haired woman immediately complained to her: "Lord Moliati, you were really too impulsive this time. How could you go in person?"

"I couldn't suppress it and let my sister run out. She was too careless and almost made me fall into the hands of a crude country bishop…"

Narrating the closest experience she had to being exposed so far, Moliati nonchalantly put the iron mask on her face: "Has there been any movement in the territory recently?"

When the boat sailed to the center of the river, only a tall warrior wearing a two-colored battle robe and a mask was left on the deck, talking to the black-haired woman.

"Everything is going according to your plan…"

"Has the person who exposed 'Carrie' going to Upper River County been found?"

"Found, but we have four suspects: your attendant Thorneke, the Secret Party envoy Badatunu'an, and two Norn merchants. It hasn't been determined who it is yet."

"Then hang them all."

"Isn't Thorneke the son of your uncle?"

Moliati did not answer but stared straight at Carrie.

The red eyes under the iron mask glowed with a bloody light in the moon.

"I understand, according to your orders…" Carrie knelt on the deck, "Your Excellency, the Duke."