Drawing Cards in the Middle Ages to Rise in Ranks

Chapter 834 - 58: The Meeting Between the Crown Prince and the King

Lavinia was somewhat curious, "Crown Prince Ruprecht? From which country?"

"Bavaria... he used to be just the Crown Prince."

Viviana recalled, "I often saw him at the Vienna Court, quite a handsome young man. I didn’t interact much with him, I only vaguely remember my swordsmanship teacher saying his talent as a Demon Swordsman was just slightly inferior to mine."

Lavinia furrowed her brow, "He is quite well-informed."

Viviana mused, "Bavaria and Austria are traditional allies, often intermarried. I guess he’s representing His Majesty the Emperor this time, and I’d like to meet him."

"Do you need me to send someone?"

Cherina wasn’t familiar with the intricacies, she thought this Crown Prince Hite coming to Texas was to stir up trouble, as the Habsburg Family has always gotten along well with the British.

But Viviana stood on the opposing side of the British.

"No need, I’ll go with Anna."

Cherina hesitated for a moment, then said, "I’ll instruct Furin to look after you. Don’t step outside the coverage of the New Basilicata City’s defensive array, the adults and Jeanne are still not fully recovered from their injuries, we’d better be cautious."

Viviana’s eyelashes fluttered slightly, "I understand."

...

The checkpoint on the road to New Basilicata Mountain.

The Texas soldiers, armed and vigilant, stared seriously at the two unexpected guests in front of them.

Though they were few in number, the Centurion guarding the place dared not be careless. The man exuded an aura so grand it was like a bottomless ocean.

A primal instinct told him that if this guy wished, he could easily massacre the entire checkpoint single-handedly.

"These Texans have no manners at all, making the noble Crown Prince wait here. Truly a group of hillbillies from the wilderness."

The attendant, wearing high heels and black stockings, spoke with concern, "Your Highness, would you like to sit and rest for a while? I have a velvet and silk padded recliner and a full tea set in my space ring."

The Crown Prince merely felt a headache, he waved his hand, "Don’t say such silly things. Look at the Texans’ equipment; they’re all using new Martini-Henry Rifles, while our soldiers are still using old Dreyse rifles."

As one of only two German States that kept its standing army without federal command, Bavaria’s military equipment is independently manufactured or procured, and it is clearly lagging behind top powers like Britain and France.

The attendant was surprised, "Where did they get such new British goods? Could it be they raided the British arsenal?"

The Crown Prince was noncommittal, "Perhaps. Back in the Austrian-Italian War, our Bavarian corps’ performance was quite unsatisfactory. So many years have passed, the military technology of all nations has changed rapidly, while we are still basking in the glory of once defeating a Napoleon. I can hardly imagine how our corps will perform if there’s another Franco-German war."

He pondered, "It seems military reform is imperative."

The attendant smiled wryly, "Your Highness, no one opposes the necessity of military reform, but with Bavaria’s national strength, it’s hard to directly launch steam airships, land cruisers, or steam mechas like Britain and France."

Ruprecht glanced at him but didn’t reply, thinking if they couldn’t produce, they could purchase; placing orders with those defense contractors within the Federation would do, but it would clearly compromise Bavaria’s independence and discontent local military enterprises.

"I didn’t expect such a majestic mountain city in such a desolate countryside like America."

Ruprecht changed the subject, commenting, "Moreover, there’s a strong magical aura, I wonder how much magic material was spent setting up an array over this mountain city. The Texans probably want to turn this mountain into a fortress and fight to the end with the British."

The attendant didn’t understand military strategies, but he understood politics, "It’s a smart move; their strength is far inferior to the British, their only chance of winning is to cause enough pain to make the British withdraw on their own."

But he quickly became tense, "Your Highness, does this mean we’ve entered the battle zone? This is too dangerous, why don’t you wait for Viviana down the mountain while I stay here?"

"Ha, what do you take me for?"

Ruprecht sneered, "Don’t worry, the British failed their first landing and have been greatly weakened, they won’t attack anytime soon, but you, aren’t you afraid of being eaten by those Werewolves if you stay here?"

The attendant replied with an awkward smile, "Your Highness, I am afraid, unquestionably so, as they are monsters with no scruples for killing, but how can I stand by and watch you walk into danger?"

"Alright, those are just rumors, the Wolf Race isn’t that terrifying, or Italy would have no living souls long ago, and the Habsburg Emperors couldn’t possibly allow them to secretly control Italy."

As a top aristocrat, Ruprecht had no particular fondness for the Wolf Race but wouldn’t demonize them as fools do. In fact, the head of the German Emperor’s secret agents is a wandering Wolf.

At the Vienna Court, he had sparred with that head of secret agents, a taciturn but reliable man.

There was actually a lot of cooperation between the Habsburg Family and the Wolf Race, not just the Wolf Race, but also the Blood Royal Court of the Balkans. For Austria, where the influences of Catholicism are still strong, these matters must remain concealed.

Religion is merely a tool for the rulers.

Both Ruprecht and the old Emperors didn’t care if they ruled over Protestants, Catholics, or Eastern Orthodox believers. If he were to become the King of Greece, he might have risked breaking with his family long ago to convert to Eastern Orthodoxy.

"That aura... it’s Viviana for sure, she’s indeed here!"

Ruprecht took a deep breath, his fists subconsciously clenched, as spiritual energy surged through his body like a rushing river. He licked his lips, unable to suppress a quiet murmur.

"Let’s go, my destined adversary!"

For years, Crown Prince Ruprecht had been called the most formidable of the German Royal Family—but when speaking of him, people would sadly add, "If not counting the Candle Knight."

Viviana didn’t think so, but over the years she had already become the mountain that the Crown Prince felt compelled to conquer.

"Crown Prince Ruprecht?"

When the black-and-white robe and the emblematic Fallow Deer Hood appeared in his view, Ruprecht quickly calmed down, bent slightly and said, "Your Highness Viviana."

"Long time no see."

Viviana looked at Ruprecht with some surprise, "You’ve grown this much already?"

"Your Highness, I am already the father of two."

Ruprecht’s tone was a bit stiff, "Do I need to remind you that you’ve been away for over twenty years?"

"I’m sorry..."

"I’m puzzled where you’ve been all these years, hanging out with a bunch of Wolves in the New Continent? Abandoning your duties, forgoing your oath upon picking up a sword, vanishing without a word, not even a letter."

Ruprecht’s tone became harsher, "Do you know how the Great Elector defied His Majesty in the German States parliament because of you? For twenty years, the Federation’s been split into North and South, partly because of you!"

Viviana opened her mouth, the faint joy of reuniting with an old acquaintance was swept away, "I’m sorry, I didn’t expect this outcome."

Lavinia adjusted her gold-rimmed glasses coldly, "Enough, I don’t believe Anna leaving alone could’ve caused your country’s division, even though I’m not German, I know about the Thirty Years’ War!"

The Crown Prince sneered, "Even setting that aside, reflect on it—how had His Majesty Franz treated you, how much effort was put into nurturing you? All of Vienna’s libraries were open to you, even the royal archives. You left without a word and sided against the British, do you realize the trouble it brings to our diplomatic affairs?"

Viviana was momentarily at a loss, her lips trembled, unsure how to explain.

"Who is exaggerating and questioning my employee?"

A hard voice suddenly sounded, Ruprecht looked up to see the figure of a Demon Dragon flying through the sky, followed by a figure plummeting like a cannonball, landing with a boom.