"You should be thankful that I didn't throw you to the stake, instead of asking me to do something for you arrogantly." The archbishop angrily whispered, "The temptress of the Roland family."
"Didn't you see this hellish tragedy? The rebels are in a stalemate with Dalton. Once the war starts, the jackal-like enemy will tear Roland into pieces, and the blood will drown the ankles until the horse's bridle, and the skulls of the dead will be piled up." Holy land..." Adele spoke quickly, "God loves the world, He sent you to this world to save the world for Him, not to do evil for Him!"
"The reason for these disasters is because of you, a heretical woman, who desecrated the throne."
"What do you think." Adele interrupted him, "but now, I am the one who will turn the sword into a plow! I want you to send a letter to Heinrich for me. Peace before the arrival of our fleet—as for me, when all is quiet, you can send me all your eloquence to the fire. Let your gods judge who is the culprit!"
Her cheeks blushed due to excitement, corresponding to her rosy pupils. The light falling from the dome dyed her face, the icon-like beauty between sadness and abandonment, possessed a terrifying and trembling magic power.
"Go away, heretic."
The archbishop closed his eyes, as if trying to break free from this dizzying scene.
"What?" Adele laughed contemptuously. "The way you 'saints' deal with heretics is to close your eyes and ears, so as not to see or hear? Cowards."
The archbishop didn't answer, and stretched out his hand to push her away from him, but Adele approached him first—she grabbed his collar with one hand and put all her weight on him. They were so close that the archbishop could clearly feel her warm and rapid breathing.
"Open your eyes and look at me."
Queen orders.
Maybe the devil appeared at that moment, or maybe Salome's soul lodged in her voice. Thousands of years ago, the prophet closed his eyes to escape the fate of being seduced. The archbishop tried to make himself a saint, but he was not yet sanctified - although he felt remorse the moment he opened his eyes.
Adele didn't give him another chance to close his eyes.
His pupils dilated for an instant, and for a split second he thought the Queen was mad—she was clutching a diamond hair pin, the sharp metal point pointed right at her own carotid artery.
"Do you know what you're doing?!" the archbishop asked angrily.
Of course Adele knew what she was doing.
She chose the archbishop because he was the last person to be canonized in Roland's history. Although he was a staunch old god, he did his best to shelter refugees during the thirty years of chaos, and countless people were helped by him.
If Adele were to make a comparison, she would say that a Archbishop Rodrett who wanted to throw her to the stake was better than a dozen nobles whose loyalty was to be negotiated. At least, the character of the former is still guaranteed, and there is still a trace of compassion for the poor people.
"If you refuse me," she said, "I shall kill myself at once."
In the face of the archbishop's sudden change, the queen laughed out loud.
"I have a faithful maid, she is outside," Adele said viciously in a sweet tone, "Once I die, she will immediately lead people to rush in—the queen was killed for resisting the rape of the old God sect bishop Suicide, do you think this scandal is enough to cause a catastrophic blow to the old gods? Will the new gods seize the opportunity to attack?"
"You..." the archbishop murmured, "crazy woman!"
"I can't help it," the Queen said softly, "I have nothing... There is no difference anyway, isn't it? War will be involved in everything, and thousands of lives, heretics and believers, will die because of your rejection. My next Hell, you've got to come with me too."
She smiled, but the circles of her eyes slowly turned red.
Hot tears dripped down, leaving little dark marks on the archbishop's black monk smock.
He froze and said nothing.
... ... ...
Mrs. Kelly stood in the colonnade, maintaining a calm look.
Every minute and every second of time is so difficult, Dalton may return to the day palace at any time. Mrs. Kelly silently recited the names of all the angels and saints she knew in her heart, and begged them to bless her master. When the footsteps sounded, Mrs. Kelly's heart sank directly to the bottom of the valley.
"Where is Her Majesty the Queen?"
Dalton glanced away, but did not see the queen near her.
"Her Majesty is saying her prayers," said Mrs Kelly.
Dalton frowned: "I have something to see His Majesty."
"According to the doctrine, prayers must not be interrupted."
Mrs. Kelly didn't back down.
"Get out of the way." Dalton's eyes sharpened suddenly, and he gestured for the nearest guard to come over and take Mrs. Kelly away.
"What are you going to do to my maid, sir."
Adele came from the other end of the colonnade. Like all devout believers, she wore a relatively simple black long dress and did not bring any jewelry when she prayed.
But in herself she was better than all the jewels in the world.
"I'm just concerned about your safety." Dalton replied, approaching the queen and looking her carefully.
The queen glanced at him, and then told Mrs. Kelly to prepare a change of clothes for herself. Mrs. Carey curtseyed and withdrew apprehensively. Dalton didn't stop her anymore.
His slender but callused hand pressed the corner of the Queen's eyes: "You have cried, why?"
"My mother," said Adele, looking out over the nearby rose garden, "she died in this castle, and they say she deserved her death."
"It's best." Dalton squinted slightly, looking at the church under the sun. The Queen's expression was impeccable. He warned, "By the way, your brother-in-law is very concerned about your safety."
"How much did he bid?" Adele asked after hearing the words.
Her elder sister married to the neighboring Yager Kingdom at the age of seventeen, but unfortunately died of illness. When she was crowned, King Jacques was furious, thinking that Roland's throne should belong to his wife-that is to say, to him. This mutiny, the speed with which he smelled the wind, was like smelling a rotten hyena.
"Two hundred thousand gold coins." Dalton said, "and the request is very little."
"Complete or incomplete, it's fine, right?" she asked with interest. "Anyone else bid?"
Dalton actually quoted a few more prices: "120,000 plus a dukedom, 150,000 Renza..."
"It's so tempting." The queen commented.
"Yes, two hundred thousand gold coins is enough for the pope to sell a king." Dalton took a step forward, forcing the queen to lean on the carved stone pillar.
There was once a poor king who, after being deposed by his younger brother, went to seek the blessing of the Pope. His brother offered two hundred thousand to the Pope for his head, and the Pope prepared a cup of poison that day. Seven days later, the king was delivered to his brother in a copper casket.
"I turned down sky-high rewards for you. You shouldn't do what you shouldn't do, right?" His tone was cold and dangerous.
Adele knew very well that her arrangement for Mrs. Kelly to meet her at the colonnade still aroused Dalton's suspicion. Deliberately raising the price of various forces is just a warning because he can't find any concrete evidence. Once he finds out about her plan, he will never let it go.
Keen, suspicious, and cruel are synonymous with Dalton in the history books.
Facing Dalton's admonition, Adele raised her eyebrows and grabbed Dalton's cloak collar.
When Dalton subconsciously reached out to draw his gun, the queen's lips were already covered.
Her lips were still slightly cool, but soon became hot. Like roses, like fire, Dalton's breathing soon became short of breath-although his political enemies spared no effort to slander him, mocking him behind his back as a weapon of war without sexual ability, he was still a man.
A grown, able-bodied, man.
The hand that touched the handle of the gun was loosened, and it clasped the Queen's shoulder tightly, and he quickly took the initiative. His fingers slid from the corners of the queen's eyes to the back of her head, digging deep into the thick hair. Their kiss is like a fight, a competition, and what is contained in the ambiguity is the deadly danger like gunpowder and gunpowder.
When they separated, both of them were breathing slightly short of breath.
Some blood oozed from the corner of the queen's lips. She fixed her eyes on Dalton, and reached out to press and wipe her stinging lips. The blood was dyed like rouge, gorgeous enough to stimulate all men's desire to conquer.
"If I do something," the Queen smiled pointedly and contemptuously, "it must be your problem."
—Don't you want to conquer Roland? And... conquer me.
On the night of the mutiny, the queen's words under the candlelight overlapped with her contempt at this moment, and her almost unreasonable actions became natural and justified.
Dalton laughed.
"Okay." He said in a compromising tone, "I'm here this time to tell you that the fleet of the Yager Kingdom has set sail."
……………
Under the candlelight, Heinrich pressed his fingertips together, staring at the letter on the table.
The seal coat of arms on the envelope was clear, and it came from a seal of swords and roses that he was familiar with, which was the queen's personal seal. And it was an ascetic monk of the Knights of the Temple who secretly sent this letter to him.
This is where things get weird.
As the most stubborn branch of the Old God sect, the Knights of the Temple have always wanted to throw the queen on the stake. They help the queen, just as incredible as angels and demons dancing face to face.
After a moment of silence, Heinrich still put the letter on the candle, and after the lacquer print melted a bit, he opened it with a paper knife. The queen's familiar handwriting came into view, no different from before. But soon, Heinrich stood up, as surprised as seeing a harmless flower transform into a vicious snake.
And the snake was hidden in this thin letter paper.
Adele Roland, the student he discarded for retaining unnecessary tolerance, kindness and justice, had such an astonishing change after the mutiny—
She betrayed Dalton Robert without mercy.