So they were disbanded - and the next day they became the Pope's crusades, the private armies of nobles and landowners, and at worst, the elite of warlords, or mercenaries sailing overseas.
Although the imperial knights here were not dismissed, the actions of their comrades and their silence in the past still forced them to remain silent by kneeling when facing Yang Hao.
After a long time...
Knight Robert spoke on behalf of his men: "Your Majesty, I—"
"Do not call me Your Majesty. I am not the Regent now, and I will never be the Regent of the Roman Empire again."
Yang Hao raised his hand to deny it. When he mentioned the word "Roman Empire", he showed physical disgust. "If you have something to say, just say it and get out of here as far away as you can."
"But Your Majesty... If you don't come back, the Roman Empire will soon collapse due to internal and external troubles!"
"Good job..."
Yang Hao's answer made the witches and knights stiffen. They never thought that the regent hated the empire to such an extent.
The regent shifted his focus from the country to the little piece of land in front of him, but right now the Roman Empire needed the regent's attention.
So after a long silence, Knight Robert decided to use his last chance to plead:
"Your Majesty, the Imperial Conference has already made concessions!" Knight Robert, who was kneeling on the ground, explained sincerely, "The royal family is willing to vindicate you, the nobles and landlords are also willing to make concessions for you, even the leader and General Dreshuka acknowledge your achievements! They are willing to pay a lot for your return!
And Your Majesty, now Her Majesty the Queen also needs your guidance, and those persecuted scholars and Red Cross doctors also hope that you can guide them back onto the right path!
If you don't come back, the entire Roman Empire will be divided again because of this disaster, and we will return to the chaotic period of fighting each other.
By then, not only the Elven Kingdom in the north, but also the powerful country across the sea will take this opportunity to launch a new round of war against us...
By then, the country will be in ruins, and the entire land will be devastated. Even the barbarians who were driven to the north will be in danger of moving back south... For the sake of this land, I beg you to return as fast as lightning!"
Knight Robert might be one of the few knights in the Empire who is far-sighted. At least after serving Yang Hao for a long time, he has learned how to "look far ahead" and to a certain extent how to "predict" the future based on the current national conditions.
It was precisely because he saw the bleak future of the Roman Empire that he wanted to bring Yang Hao back at all costs.
It seemed that a certain word in his eloquent speech triggered the Regent's memories.
Yang Hao sighed heavily, muttering: "Barbarians? Barbarians... Haha, weren't you barbarians back then? The only difference between you and the barbarians is the language. I didn't even expect that you would have to worry about the barbarians, haha..."
Then, Yang Hao walked up to Knight Robert with an axe in his hand: "Benefits? Favors? Knight Robert... I don't want to be too rude. I will no longer be tempted by promises made by a piece of shit.
As for favors? Don't you think they owe me enough? I don't expect you to repay what you owe me, but I didn't expect you to force me to decide not to owe me anything, right? "
"Your Majesty..."
"Knight Robert. I once blocked a barbarian's axe for you. I still remember the oath you made."
As he spoke, facing Knight Robert who was kneeling on the ground with his hands offering his weapon, Yang Hao suddenly raised the rusty axe in his hand:
"But now I don't need it. I don't need your loyalty, I don't need your gratitude... We don't know each other..."
Bang-
Accompanied by the dull sound of armor being broken.
Yang Hao used all his strength to hit Knight Robert's chest with the axe, allowing the rusty axe blade to break through the tough imperial armor, split the chain mail inside, split the skin and flesh inside, and finally split the bones inside.
Back then, Yang Hao used his left hand to block the fatal blow from the barbarians for Knight Robert. Now, Yang Hao returned everything he had blocked to him.
They no longer owed each other anything. There was no master-servant relationship, nor was there any gratitude for saving someone's life.
Just as Yang Hao decided to completely sever all ties with the Roman Empire, he was extremely disappointed with the Roman Empire and also extremely disappointed with his former subordinates.
He watched Knight Robert fall down in convulsions after being hit hard by an unexpected blow, and then looked at the group of knights who were shocked but dared not move, and the witch who was looking at him with wide eyes in disbelief.
He just took out his axe, panting and looking up at the darkening sky:
"The doctor said that if I hadn't stopped the axe, Knight Robert would not have been able to receive treatment within ten minutes and would have died on the battlefield. That's why he swore allegiance to me.
Now? I think that even if the former regent, who was not even a warrior, had a serious injury from the axe, he would still have half an hour to recover.
Do you want to watch your comrade die in front of you? Or do you want to leave this place quickly to save him? Priscilla, you are a witch, have you forgotten how to chant the teleportation magic? "
Yang Hao looked down at the witch, and the witch gave him a last deep look, then gritted her teeth and rushed to the seriously injured Knight Robert, half-knelt on the ground and chanted the spell of teleportation magic.
Yang Hao took two steps back and sighed heavily as he watched the blue light of the teleportation magic envelope each and every imperial knight and finally dissipate them without a trace.
For now, I've managed to buy time to leave.
He turned around and gave the nun who had been watching him silently a farewell hug.
He was grateful for Teresa's help during this period, but in order to prevent her from being implicated, it was time for him to leave. It was time to continue wandering further away from the Roman Empire.
Chapter 11: I'll go with you!
After everything was temporarily over, Yang Hao and Sister Teresa returned to their warm monastery.
Although he didn't stay here for a long time, Yang Hao made some repairs to the wooden doors of the monastery and repaired all the leaks with felled wood and mud collected on site.
He tried to make the convent feel like a home, rather than the run-down doghouse that Mother Teresa had lived in when she was alone.
Likewise, Mother Teresa did a lot... She would hand him a cup of hot water when he was resting, provide guidance and help when he was overwhelmed at work, and prepare a bucket of hot water for Yang Hao to take a good bath and rest every night when he was exhausted and wanted to have a good rest.
They supported each other during this period. In a sense, Mother Teresa had become the only light in Yang Hao's dark period.
Because of this, Yang Hao must not drag Sister Teresa into his own affairs.
Her life was already hard, and if it became even worse because of him, he would not even have the face to pray for her after his death.
So he planned to leave here, and go as far as possible before Priscilla and the others came again, until he collapsed or found a new place to stay.
"So... you chopped him with your axe just to buy time to leave? No... why would you leave for no reason? You live here, and this is not the territory of the Roman Empire. They have no right to do anything to you!"
"I understand their evil intentions. If I stay in the monastery, sooner or later they will give up their dignity and threaten me with you. So I have to leave, Theresa. This is not only for myself, but also for you."
Yang Hao is packing his things in the convent, but Mother Teresa doesn't seem to want him to leave.
Her eyes were full of worry. She hoped that Yang Hao could stay. As a nun, she might not have the power to protect him, but if they just lived secretly in one place, she could ensure that they had food, clothing, shelter and transportation by working hard.
But Yang Hao asked: What if Priscilla comes to visit again? What if Priscilla takes Theresa away next time and threatens him with her life
Theresa was speechless: because she knew that the little witch could really do such a thing. And she also knew that if she was really captured, then Yang Hao would have no choice but to be slaughtered by the Roman Empire.
(So, because I will only become a burden if I stay with you in the Roman Empire, you have to leave me? But Theresa, think about it carefully, this is the truth...
Let’s not even mention that the little witch didn’t care about the old friendship and was willing to do something like robbing and threatening. Just the knights would definitely attack you... You have to understand this...
And it doesn't matter if I get caught. If he is really stupid enough to come back because of the threat of me getting caught, then he will never be able to leave. He will be squeezed to death by these bastards who are worse than animals...
It would be better to go to the Elf Kingdom and eat vegetarian food. At least the vegetarian food there is said to be delicious...)
It seems that Theresa has no ability to protect Yang Hao. But Theresa is worried about him going alone.
She was worried about this man who couldn't even shave wandering around alone.
If we want to go, let’s go together.
So when Yang Hao was about to pack up everything, the white-haired nun took a deep breath:
"Wait here. I'll prepare something for you to take away. Think of it as a gift for identification."
"Theresa? But—"
"Wait. It won't waste too much time. It will take at least half an hour to get here from the town. Unless Priscilla really teleports here again without leaving any way out for himself, we still have time."
Theresa tugged at Yang Hao's clothes, forcing the man with bloodshot eyes to stop in the church hall, and then she ran back to her room.
Theresa didn't have much to pack and take away.
A holy book that praises "Light" instead of the kleptomaniac "God of Light".
The newly bought lantern, the razor, and his boot tying.
Some necessary food, fire starters for field operations, and felt to keep out the cold.
All these things combined didn't even fill up a backpack. They were very light, but Theresa always felt like something was missing...
…
She put on her backpack, locked the door of her room, and went to the basement of the church.
"well."
Looking at the weathered stone statues in the basement, he looked at the crystal statue representing "light" on the real altar in front of the basement and the double-headed eagle national emblem with a white background, which did not belong to the Roman Empire.
Mother Teresa knelt on the cushion and prayed sincerely to her ancestors and God:
“Light… my ancestors… please bless our journey. Please forgive my negligence, and please forgive his rash departure… Please believe that we had no choice, and please believe that the dust that follows is only for our return in the future.
At that time, I will openly live a new life with him under your witness as the "Last Princess", and I will also build a new shrine for you.
Please give me the support to move forward. Please give me the courage to stand away from evil and filth…”
After a simple prayer, the bright crystal statue emitted a faint light and gave Theresa the response she wanted.
After the power of "light" in the primordial doctrine was stolen by a bastard who called himself "the God of Light", "light" was tarnished. The "authority of light" that should have meant a bright future for all races finally turned into a force for humans to monopolize resources and engage in destructive and foolish activities.
This power was originally spread everywhere to allow alien races to live in harmony, but at this moment it has been stolen and turned into a holy sword of paradise for humans and a nightmare and suffering for alien races.
Human priests wantonly use the name of God to collect money and fool common people. Everything they do goes against the standards of "light". They are just a group of robbers and bandits who do whatever they want in the name of "light". Even the so-called saint is just another bandit leader.
Therefore, Theresa hated the existence of the God of Light from the bottom of her heart, and hated the heresy of the Church of the God of Light from the bottom of her heart—
But she also knew that it would be impossible to complete the restoration by herself, nor would it be possible to overthrow the current theocratic rule of the Church of Light.
Our Lord's power is waning, and providing a paltry response to the last believers is the last thing He can do.
All she could do was to come back with Yang Hao one day under His final gaze and finally live a new life as a civilian.
"Therefore - Theresa Justinian II announced that the shrine's sealing ceremony will be held immediately without delay."
Theresa finished her prayer. After carefully putting the last crystal statue into her backpack, she left the underground church. By turning the secret compartment, the entire underground church would sink to the bottom of the mountain under the action of the mechanism until the day when it would see the light of day again.
Although it was a bit sad, Theresa was indeed leaving here.
When she came to the hall with her backpack and stared at Yang Hao, Yang Hao pointed at Theresa's backpack and said:
"Theresa, the 'farewell gift' you mentioned..."
"That's me. What's the problem? Let's go. I'll explain it to you on the way."
Returning to her usual cheerful look, Theresa patted her chest and smiled her most brilliantly in front of him.
Chapter 12: The intervention of the elves, the tragic scene witnessed with one's own eyes
After Priscilla sent Knight Robert to the best doctor in town for treatment, she immediately led the others to march towards the monastery again, intending to catch up with Yang Hao before he left, and then do everything possible to keep him here.
At this point, the witch knew that Yang Hao was completely disappointed and wanted to leave the country.
This was like the last straw for the Roman Empire, ready to drift to the shore where he could not reach. He was disappointed, angry, and desperate. Priscilla could understand it now...
But he had to stay in the Roman Empire no matter what.
No matter what means, even by kidnapping Theresa to force him to stay, he must stay here.
This was not just for her own sake, but for her last chance to explain why she had been shut away for four years and to apologize for it...
It is also to save the millions of people and this crumbling empire who will suffer from drought in half a year.
"Hurry! We have to hurry! He injured Knight Robert just to buy time to leave, but Sister Teresa will never give up the monastery. As long as she is still here, we have a reason to let him come back - quickly!"
Priscilla urged the knights to speed up, but during the sudden forced march, a knight stumbled and slipped on the mountain road at night because of the equipment on his legs.
The torch rolled all the way down and finally went out in the mud. His companions wanted to pull him up, but found that he was seriously injured again.
"Damn it! Our equipment... Sir Robert's plate armor shouldn't be pierced by a rusty woodcutter's axe. Even if it was pierced, the chain mail inside should be intact!"
Lying on the ground, the pale-faced Imperial Knight managed to get up with the help of his teammates:
"Damn it... Have the technicians responsible for maintaining the equipment even gone so far as to shave off the thickness of the armor to make extra money for themselves?!"
Experienced knights realized after encountering unexpected accidents that it was not because they had neglected physical exercise due to years of peace, but what frightened all knowledgeable people was the fact that the craftsmen supported by the royal family began to earn "extra money" for themselves by scraping the thickness of the armor.
The thickness of the scratch may not be that great at first and can be covered with secondary auxiliary materials.
But when the thickness of the scratches reached a certain level, the standard armor of these imperial knights could no longer be used.
They might even break during a forced march due to the rugged mountain roads, not to mention facing the enemy's swords and spears when killing the enemy on the battlefield!
Just think about it! When the most elite knights of the Roman Empire were confidently planning to use their expensive protective gear to resist the barbarian attacks, and were planning to counterattack when their excellent armor shook the enemy's weapons, the armor that should have been highly expected was smashed by an ordinary wooden hammer, and then the knights would be seriously injured in astonishment and finally attacked by the crowd...
This is no longer a small question of whether the Roman Empire will collapse due to drought.
This is a matter of life and death for the Roman Empire, which may not even be able to protect itself.