Imperial Crown

It was a letter from the royal capital of Minnegal City.

The paint seal on the golden envelope looks like new.

Marquis Anthony straightened his tie, sat at the table, carefully cut the envelope open with scissors, and shook out the parchment inside.

His eyebrows trembled slightly.

Judging from the sharp sword-like font, this was not ghostwritten by a palace official, but written by His Majesty the XVI of Keynes himself.

It is not easy to get such treatment. When writing this letter, His Majesty the King was either very excited or very angry.

Anthony took a deep breath and shook out the letter with a "jump into the river and close your eyes" mentality.

"To my dear Lord of the Interior, Lord Antonin van Yard Edwards, future Governor of the Province of Nord."

"Because of your outstanding performance in Nord Province, I have to extend my cordial greetings to you. Your efficiency is as outstanding as my father's wet nurse."

"After all, she nursed my father for a whole year."

"But what I don't understand is, can you also produce milk, or do you need to breastfeed the child yourself?"

"A year, almost a year! You still haven't been able to open up the situation in Nord Province."

"I am not an impatient monarch, and I can understand that you have your own thoughts and plans."

"Then can you give me a valid reason - how did you make a wedding after-party so public? At this point, I should fire my court dwarf, maybe You are more suitable for this position."

"If there is really some conspiracy that I don't know about, can you explain the article "Hot Beauties - Private Ranking"? Is rating bitches part of your big plan?"

"Perhaps it is impossible to express your city as far-reaching as the sea in writing, so please return to the capital immediately, immediately, and quickly after this wonderful competition is over, and explain your glorious vision to me in person."

"Miss you, Habs Mann Keynes."

Marquis Anthony placed the letter respectfully on the table, took out a handkerchief and wiped the cold sweat on his forehead, as if His Majesty the King's saliva had sprayed on his face.

Just from these words, he could imagine the excitement and anger of His Majesty the King when he wrote this letter.

Indeed, this trip may not have been very successful, but Anthony still criticized His Majesty the King's impatience.

After all, the Nordic province is an important frontier area. How can we deal with matters here and cut through the mess quickly?

The Fox family has been rooted in the Nord province for hundreds of years, and it cannot be solved overnight.

In particular, this also involves the Griffiths, a troubled family that has been entangled with the royal family since the founding of the empire.

The most unclear thing may be the competitive meeting.

Although the competitive conference was a bit louder than Anthony originally expected, it was still within his control after all. A competition held in the northwest border of Nord province, no matter how influential it was, how big could it be?

It’s almost over anyway.

The seventh round ended quickly. Except for Eric versus Judra, no new dark horse emerged.

Both contestants from the Church of Light were eliminated in this round. Akori and Gul'dan were successfully promoted. Two knights from the Slater family also stood out. Together with another knight from the Fox family, these three families were in the competition. There are 5 places in the top 8 list.

Counting Eric, there are actually only two places left for other nobles in the Nord province.

The list was quickly arranged. Slater and the remaining players from the Fox family faced off in pairs, and there was no civil war; Akori and Eric also staggered and faced two players from other counties.

Anthony was very satisfied with this arrangement, and even secretly thought - if both players from the Fox family lost, it would be too much fun.

But he also knew that this was just his wishful thinking. Maybe at this time, in the corner that he couldn't see, the Fox and Slater families had already begun to mingle.

Marquis Anthony doesn't like to go out very much these days, because every time he sees the bustle on the street, it reminds him of the content in the letter - how does His Majesty the King know so clearly about the Athletic Conference?

But with the end of the 3-day offseason and the official start of the 8th round, Anthony Marquis still had to show up. After all, each of the next 3 rounds will be more important. He needs to stand in front of the public and emphasize his presence.

But as soon as he came to the arena today, he felt something was wrong, and he couldn't figure out what was wrong.

Until he came to the box and found that in addition to Montreal, Thomas, Tyrone and Raven, there was a fifth person sitting here.

He was a middle-aged man who looked about 40 years old. He had a stout figure, a round face, and a red face that seemed to have been weathered. It was only the end of August, and it was still hot, but he was wrapped in a A thick layer of fur.

"Marquis Anthony, I have heard of your reputation for a long time, but I have never seen you." The middle-aged man stood up enthusiastically and saluted Anthony: "This is the first time we meet, I, Jonah Shiva Hopkins, from Ontario County, Province of Molinier!”

The moment he heard the name, Anthony immediately remembered the identity of this person.

Jonah is an imperial count, the head of the Hopkins family, one of the three major count families in Molinier Province, and a fourth-level ice knight.

But why is he here? !

"It turns out to be Count Jonah." Marquis Anthony returned the greeting and took his seat, then asked inadvertently: "Why didn't I hear about your arrival?"

"I just arrived this morning." Count Jonah said bluntly: "Look, I didn't even have time to change into my dress!"

Marquis Anthony nodded: "As far as I know, Ontario County is not close to here. Why are you interested in coming here?"

"Haha, of course it's because of this athletic competition!" Earl Jonah smiled with excitement in his voice: "Speaking of it, I have felt since I was young that our northern provinces are really badly equipped now. I follow the example of those inland aristocrats who play music every night. Their conversation is either art or pleasure. It’s too hard to stand!”

"I've also heard about Baron Raven's reputation, but I wasn't very optimistic about it at first. He's like a 'little bee', and he's also delving into some weird inventions. He seems to be focused solely on making money, and he doesn't look like a noble. "

Having said this, he chuckled again and gave Raven a thumbs up: "I didn't expect that, Baron Raven, you are so amazing. You actually picked up the tradition of the 'Competition Tournament' at your wedding, and And the game was so exciting!”

"I accidentally got a battle report. I didn't take it seriously at first, but when I read on, it made my blood boil. I haven't seen such a fierce battle in many years."

"But just reading the battle report is really not satisfying. I feel itchy, so I brought a group of people over. I thought that even after the game is over, I can feel the atmosphere and learn from Baron Raven's experience."

“I didn’t expect that I really caught up!”

It was okay at first, but as he talked about it later, Marquis Anthony's face turned darker and darker: "You didn't come here on your own?"

Jonah nodded: "Of course not. From the counties next to us, as long as they have nothing to do, they will basically come. I also met some nobles with the same purpose along the way. There are about 40 people in total who came to Eagle Town this time." ”

Marquis Anthony felt that his back was starting to get a little wet.

He really didn't expect that the momentum of the competition would spread to the Molinier Province.

This is not in the royal capital, but on the edge of the empire!

At first, Anthony just wanted to use this competition to let Raven see the situation clearly and not get so close to the Fox family.

But now with the development of the situation, the direction of the entire competitive tournament has deviated from his original intention. Even if Akori can defeat Gul'dan by then, Raven also realizes that he and the royal family are inviolable, but it will cause new problems.

That is, as the competitive competition expands, Gul'dan's performance will make the Fox family famous far and wide, and the reputation that has just been suppressed will usher in a surge!

How can I explain this to His Majesty the King?

The task you assigned me was completed. You gave the Fox family a stick and then immediately gave me a carrot?

But the problem is, even if carrots are given, it should be given by His Majesty the King!

This silence actually caused Jonah to misunderstand: "Actually, we also know that you, Marquis Anthony, have played the most important role here. If it weren't for your suggestion in the beginning, this athletic conference wouldn't have been possible."

"Speaking of which, this athletic competition is really a rare event. Before I came here, I was still communicating with Count Duna of Cartier Province. He also said that if it is not too far away, he would like to come here in person."

Anthony's eyes were a little dark.

The province of Cartier is in the southwest of the empire, and the straight-line distance from the Eagle Territory should be more than 1,200 kilometers.

No wonder even His Majesty the King knows about it!

In this game, Anthony was distracted throughout the game and basically didn't pay attention. He only knew that Gul'dan won in the end and advanced to the semi-finals of this competition.

After that, I had to have a sumptuous lunch with everyone to welcome Earl Jonah.

After the party broke up, Anthony found Raven and wanted to talk to him alone for a while.

Entering the study and rejecting the others, Marquis Anthony got straight to the point: "Baron Raven, the influence of this competitive tournament is really too great."

"Now, I hope you can intervene in the fermentation of this matter on the Skyhawk platform and end this competition quickly and quietly."

Raven raised his eyebrows and said hesitantly: "Well..."

Raven could guess some reasons for Marquis Anthony's dissatisfaction and uneasiness.

If this sentence had appeared a month ago, Raven might have complied, but now he would never let go.

"Baron Raven!" Marquis Anthony stared into Raven's eyes: "This is no longer a matter of your Griffith family!"

"Oh oh oh, don't be so excited, Marquis Anthony." Raven spread his hands and said: "It's not that I don't want to do this, but even if the Sky Eagle Platform is stopped now, it won't help."

"Three months have passed since the start of the competition. Now, not to mention other places, the entire Nord province is paying attention to this competition."

"The Sky Eagle Platform can be closed, but this will only arouse greater curiosity. Maybe the nobles who are still at home or the nobles from the province will rush into Eagle Town crazily because of this. I think that is not you Do you want to see the results?”

Raven's words made Anthony calm down a little.

In the final analysis, His Majesty the King had put too much pressure on his secret message before, and the arrival of Jonah later intensified this.

Now that he was gradually calming down, he had to admit that Raven was right.

Even if Raven has selfish motives, the competition is no longer a private matter. Forcibly intervening will only lead to dissatisfaction among all the nobles.

Judging from the letter from His Majesty the King, the position of Governor of Nord Province still belongs to Anthony. It is unwise to offend the nobles of the province at this time.

"Baron Raven, my gentleness does not mean that I will not get angry." Marquis Anthony said lightly: "This competition must be ended as soon as possible."

"Of course." Raven smiled and said: "Next, I will shorten the off-season and speed up the schedule. After all, with so many people eating and eating, my Eagle Territory will not be able to hold on."

"It's better to be true." Anthony looked at Raven deeply and turned away.

With a bang, the door was closed. Raven sat back at the table and shook his head with a little mockery.

You proposed the competition at the beginning, and now you regret it?

But speaking of it, Raven has to thank Marquis Anthony. If it weren't for his proposal, Raven, who always disliked socializing, would never think of the idea of ​​a competition.

Now, the competition is in full swing, beyond everyone's expectations. This can be said to be an opportunity that was born from nothing, and Raven is best at seizing this opportunity.

Next, he will indeed shorten the off-season and speed up the entry into the city, but he will also promote this competition more vigorously, making it a major event that the Nord Province will remember.

And this is by no means the last competition, but the first one in the world.

In the future, Raven will turn the competition into a pure competitive event, held every two years, divided into three groups of first, second and third levels, and each county will give corresponding places for the preliminary round.

Each county will select its own representatives, and then hold the competition starting from the top 32 in Eagle Town.

In this way, it can not only bring enough foreign population to Eagle Town regularly, but also save a lot of trouble in the early stage.

In this way, his territory will be built into a knight's holy land in the Nord Province!

Of course, the above are just preliminary structures, and how to implement them needs to be discussed. At present, we still need to focus on the ongoing competition.

For Montreal and Anthony, the competition is their place of gambling, but Raven is not only looking at the competition itself.

The plan that has been brewing for a long time is also time to start.

"Volaf!" Raven called loudly.

"Baron!" Volaf walked in and hammered his breastplate: "What do you want?"

Putting a folded parchment on the table, Raven said: "Give it to Eric."

"Remember, don't let anyone see what's on it."

...