When the Saint comes, she does not collect food

#173 - Don't call it Black Bone Swamp, call it Daze Township

It was evening on November 13, 1444, Imperial Calendar.

By the canal in Jeanne d'Arc Fortress.

Bloodstains from two days prior were still visible on the ground. The dried, black blood mixed with stones and dirt, making one realize that the previous battle was not a dream.

Standing on the dock, several galleys rose and fell on the water's surface. The light of the setting sun splashed on the white sails and on Sissi's shoulders.

Standing opposite her were Horn and several guards.

"Is everything arranged?" Horn asked, looking at Sissi.

Sissi nodded. "Everything is arranged, Your Majesty. Where is Grandpa Pas里克?"

"He's very interested in that hairy monster and followed the last wave of refugees to the Wild Spider Forest. He should be there by now.

Grandpa Pas里克 can also play the bone flute, so Jeanne can return to Jeanne d'Arc Fortress and pick up the last batch of refugees."

"It's a pity I couldn't see Jeanne one last time before leaving." Sissi tucked her hair behind her ear. "I'll have to wait three months."

Horn sent Sissi to Rapid Current City to contact Catherine, so that with Rapid Current City, the two sides would be in a strategic position, making it harder to be suppressed every time.

"In three months, if you are right, the Duchess of Herma Stone should have already raised her army.

My mistress Catherine, the Braga Abbey of Cassia County, and a large number of former Cush nobles will follow suit.

If you fail to defeat the stationed Edict Legion, please don't be discouraged and come to our Rapid Current City. Lady Catherine will be very willing to take you in."

Horn looked at Sissi's face and smiled without saying a word.

"I shouldn't be saying these words, but I think you and your Salvation Army will definitely have a place in the Thousand River Valley in the future," Sissi said seriously. "My mistress Catherine always says that the more friends, the better, and I think you must be a friend my mistress would be willing to make."

"Catherine, the mistress of the Megdi Merchant Guild, is also a friend I am willing to make. It is not far from Jeanne d'Arc Fortress to Rapid Current City, and an alliance between the two sides will be absolutely the right choice." Horn stepped forward and shook Sissi's hand.

"I believe in this." Sissi shook Horn's hand. "You and Lady Catherine will definitely get along very well."

"Be careful sailing and don't get caught by the church."

"What do you think our merchant guild started with?" Sissi retreated to the deck and waved to Horn. "Don't worry, I, Sissi, have been smuggling for more than ten years. I was born on a smuggling ship. They want to catch me? No way!"

The sailboat cut through the water, stirring up the shimmering red light on the surface. Horn stood by the river, looking at the long sails, and sighed.

"This time has really been like a dream."

Horn smiled and looked up at the sky dyed purple-red by the sunset. He would be leaving in a little while, leaving Jeanne d'Arc Fortress.

He probably came to this world at the end of August, and now it is mid-November, about three months.

He came to this world for three months, from a farmer to the Pope of the 30,000-strong Salvation Army, beheading a duke, hundreds of knights, and taking the southwestern stronghold of Thousand River Valley, Jeanne d'Arc Fortress, into his pocket.

A bunch of his underlings, who were originally just smelly fish and rotten shrimp, have also become slightly better smelly fish and rotten shrimp.

Throughout the Thousand River Valley, there are refugees starting uprisings in the name of Holy Grandson, Holy Grandson Brother, Holy Great-Grandson, and Holy Cousin.

Although their uprising is for recruitment, it has at least spread the name of Horn and the Short Hairs.

Three months, but Horn has traveled so many places and experienced so many things, it's like three years.

"Brother? What are you doing by the river?"

"Jeanne." Turning his head, Horn reached out and touched Jeanne's head. "How are the last group of villagers who departed?"

"The warhorses have all been ridden away, and the carts have been loaded. They are eating dinner and will be able to set off after they finish." Rubbing her head slightly against Horn's palm, Jeanne answered fluently. "There are about three or four hundred people who registered but didn't come. We can't take care of them."

"There's no way. If they don't come, they don't come." Putting his hands behind his back, Horn laughed magnanimously. "There's still some time before departure. Are you interested in taking a walk with me?"

"Okay."

The blood-red sunset wove the sky into a shining Western-style silk, and the rose-colored sunset draped over the walls of the church. The sacred tree in the shrine held two fruits.

There are various explanations for the two fruits on the sacred tree. The most official one is what the church says, representing the two human ancestors, Eve and Adam.

The most unofficial explanation is what the Scales Hermitage says, that the two fruits represent the twin sisters Lilith and Messala.

The bridge deck drooped weakly on the water surface, and the charred marks on the wooden planks still showed the danger of the previous battle.

Walking on this quiet street, the surrounding citizens looked at these two core figures of the Salvation Army with a complicated gaze.

It was getting close to evening, and the air was filled with the smell of cooking smoke.

"How is Gils?" Horn asked first. This little girl had been infected with Holy Favor a few days ago and had been lying in bed to recover.

Jeanne said with some worry: "Her symptoms are more serious than normal Holy Favor, but lighter than Witch Disease. I don't know who infected her."

"Perhaps it's my Holy Favor." Horn comforted her. "It's just that the little girl's body is relatively weak."

"Maybe." Jeanne clasped her hands together and made a fist. "Holy Lord Messala, please bless the poor little Gils..."

"My mom is very busy, so your prayers are likely to be ignored. I'll talk to my mom tonight," Horn interrupted the devout Jeanne with a smile.

Jeanne glared at Horn, half dissatisfied and half coquettish.

"Do you like it here?" Horn asked, pointing to Jeanne d'Arc Fortress in front of him.

Jeanne looked around, touching the railing on the riverside road: "I haven't seen other cities. This is the biggest city I've ever seen. Do I like it here? I quite like it. It would be nice if I could see the maple leaves every year.

But I still prefer the feeling of the suburbs. The city is too dirty, and there are too many people and it's too crowded. You can't see the sky. I prefer to live in the countryside.

You know, the kind where we can have many places to run and bask in the sun..."

As she spoke, Jeanne suddenly stopped talking because she found Horn looking at her with a strange look.

"What's wrong?"

"Do you know what? I just realized now that you are a bit talkative." Horn raised his head and looked at the distant sunset. "We've been walking too tightly all the way. There are crises everywhere. I almost forgot how to speak normally."

The two walked forward while talking. The sword bead of Blood-Veiled Cloud hit the scabbard, making a clanging sound.

"Yeah." Jeanne looked back and suddenly laughed. "Brother, you've grown taller. You've really grown taller. You can look me in the eye now."

Scanning Jeanne next to him, Horn was surprised to find that he had indeed grown taller, nearly 3 centimeters in 3 months.

But thinking about it, it's normal. Breathing techniques originally have the ability to increase height and stimulate human potential. Otherwise, how could those nobles be so tall?

"If I could grow as tall as Carrie..." Halfway through his words, Horn noticed the ominous look in Jeanne's eyes and immediately changed the subject. "Speaking of tall, it's almost time. We should go."

"Hmph."

Looking at Jeanne's bulging mouth, Horn laughed loudly. He took Jeanne's hand and walked towards the gathering place.

In three months, he buried three friends, countless people from Thousand River Valley, and the long sword at his waist changed from Cloud-Snow to Blood-Veiled Cloud.

In three months, he would go out from the Black Bone Marsh, defeat the Edict Legion, drive out the church and the empire, and turn Thousand River Valley into a free Thousand River Valley.

And it all would start from the Black Bone Marsh in front of him.

"Jeanne, we always call it Black Bone Marsh, Black Bone Marsh. It sounds gloomy. How about we change the name?"

"Change it to what?"

"The entire Black Bone Marsh is about the size of a township. Let's treat it as a township. It's also a huge lake and swamp. Let's call it Great Marsh Township."

"Great Marsh Township." Jeanne recited it twice. This word was forcibly translated by Horn. To her, it might just be [Huge Swamp Township].

"Simple and easy to understand, then let's call it Great Marsh Township."

Arriving at the gathering place, in front of Horn was a long line composed of refugees, about four thousand people, old and young, all looking at Horn expectantly.

"Let's go!" Horn walked directly to the front of the line.

The long line of people moved slowly. Standing by the road, Horn looked back at Jeanne d'Arc Fortress from afar.

Cooking smoke stood like long pillars on the roofs of the large and small houses in Jeanne d'Arc Fortress. Eagles circled in the sky, and the evening wind blew the withered leaves to the ground.

"See you in three months."