"This weather is really damn!" Looking up at the gloomy rainy day, the monk murmured and cursed.

Back from the wet and cold sea, he was still covered in mud. Although he was no longer the same as Constantinople at that time and his fat body was exhausted by hardships, he still felt miserable on the way to Larissa. After successfully avoiding possible pursuit from Agrignon from the Strait of Patra, the monk received news from his old friend Hendriel, and asked him to go here secretly. Along the way, he disguised himself as a vendor. Although he was used to this kind of life, for him, a monk who was injured, his body and mind had already been overdrawn.

However, what made the man care even more was the girl behind him. After Agrignon left, she didn't cry from beginning to end, which surprised the monk. Such a reaction shouldn't have appeared on a noble little girl. Several times he thought that the child behind him had gone crazy and became a puppet doll.

But this is not the case. But to be honest, the monk thinks that this will be a better destination for girls. Such a young child is about to have to stand on the arena of power and become the object of competition among all forces. She may be as fragile as the dandelion in the storm and shattered in an instant.

Just as the monk was feeling a little, the noble girl behind him suddenly asked, "Sergius, who will we go and meet later?"

A pair of black eyes looked at the coat behind the monk's back, and the girl's tone was surprisingly calm, as if she was asking if a product had found the next buyer.

The monk Sergius, who was asked, stared at the girl who stopped behind him, and after a long time he replied: "Go to meet your father's ally, the governor of Molia, Justinian of Ilovan Castle. He is the only person who can help now, and you can trust. His Highness Irina!"

These words were somewhat insincere, and monk Sergius looked at Irina Dukas with a slight look.

"So," the girl's lips moved slightly, and she still looked at the monk who protected her along the way and said, "Will I be the bargaining chip for you to negotiate with him?"

Looking at the noble girl who asked herself this way, Monk Sergius realized that she had really grown a lot and no longer concealed anything. He admitted, "Yes, Your Highness, this is our life. When you can't hold the hilt of the sword that dominates your destiny, each of us must be prepared to become a bargaining chip, no matter how high or low. But as long as there is even a trace of value, we will still have the opportunity to get rid of the barriers that imprison us. What choice will you make, Your Highness?"

...

...

...

In the villa of Larissa's Earl's Mansion, the atmosphere in the hall became heavier. Amid the verbal confrontation between the two sides, people's patience was gradually exhausted, but there was still no actual concession between them.

"We are attacked from all sides? Maybe His Highness Justinian, you really haven't figured out the current situation! For us, there is no need to fight with Emperor Mikhail to the end. It's not us who are truly alive with Rusny and Agrignon, but you. Now you need us, not the other way around." Merinoson said with a angrily smile. Although his remarks were not nice, they expressed the voices of the Sesari nobles. Although Justinian's strong rise made them a little moved, many people wanted to wait for the price.

"What can you give us is the premise for us to consider allegiance to you. Although Emperor Mikhail was not in a proper position, he was still a co-governor emperor with black and white letters on the golden seal edict. What about you? It is unrealistic to let all of us here unconditionally support a tyrant without background. Even in Agrignon, the rebels also gave their conditions. Many of the younger generations of our present were taken hostage in the city, and we could not take risks at will." Merinosen emphasized again.

Justinian took a deep breath, glanced at the Thessaly nobles present and said, "Yes, Emperor Mikhail and I are indeed immortal, and I have never retreated. Why? Because he stole the throne of His Majesty Muzfius. His Majesty Muzfius is the object of your loyalty. If you doubt it in your heart, go to Constantinople and use your eyes to see who stood up when Alexei III abandoned his people. His eyes were dug out, but he looked clearer than anyone else, realizing that Latins and power

The ambition of the Nices. Now, Mikhail used despicable means to seize the title of co-governor emperor, not to restore his hometown, but to flatter the Roman Holy See and affair with the Venetians for his own selfish interests. Although Prince Theodor and I had disagreements and frictions, I have to admit that he is an upright man, at least when he was conquering the Latin tyrants of Athens, he could send troops for righteousness. If you must ask me what I can give you? Revenge. Revenge your lord, revenge for those who were killed innocently. Revenge for those you unprepared juniors in the bloody sacred temple!"

Justinian's voice fell into the ears of every Thesalian nobleman like a deafening alarm. The shameless nobles no longer dared to raise their heads, but the two old counts, Taranit and Bononius, who were watching on the side, knew that this was not enough.

"Yes!" A girl's thin voice sounded behind the crowd. She was obviously very weak, but she could be heard clearly.

All the nobles subconsciously looked in the sound - whose child is this? They dared to come out and interrupt at this time.

But when everyone's eyes gathered and focused on his slender figure, everyone was stunned. At some point, the door of the hall was pushed open, and the nobles who had been listening to Justinian's conversation before found a ragged girl standing behind them.

At first glance, I thought it was a beggar coming from the slum, but many nobles recognized that face.

"His Highness Irina!" Earl Merinoson, stunned, subconsciously blurted out.

Justinian also looked over and saw the girl who had just supported her. It was the half-grown child, the girl with long brown hair as soft as a waterfall. Of course, Justinian still remembered her. Two years ago, they met on St. Valentine's Day in Agrignon. Justinian helped her to clear her siege and formed another bond with Romanus Ducas.

And how could she appear here? Justinian remembered that Hendriel had said before that Princess Agelina and her daughter were trapped in the city of Agrenion. Looking at the seat where Hendriel was sitting, Justinian found that the other party was also looking at her, with a calm expression on her face. This made Justinian feel something was wrong.

"His Royal Highness Irina!"

Everyone's attention was focused on another table, and the nobles' families were deeply surprised. No one had noticed this little girl wearing a veil just now. No one would have thought that the prince's daughter would actually come to Larissa. Her appearance was undoubtedly beyond the expectations of most people, and even Merinosen was dumbfounded.

He quickly calmed down and said, "Your Highness, it's great that you can come back safely. Where is the princess?" Since the prince's daughter escaped from Agrignon, the prince's wife should also arrive in Thesali safely. With these two trump cards, Merinosen had much more confidence in bargaining with Justinian.

Then Merinoson looked proudly at the other Thesalian nobles present and announced: "It's great, everyone, it seems that Prince Theodor is not without successors. Perhaps we don't need to make other choices, but should fulfill our loyalty to His Highness." He looked at Justinian with some intention, and Justinian immediately understood that this was the threat chip given to him by the other party.

But Irina's answer surprised everyone, including him.
Chapter completed!