Chapter 13 Chapter Thirteen

Lorena was not surprised to see Christopher sitting on Proudmoore's throne, but she was very disappointed.The Queen herself can always sit on it without sitting on it, and the Home Secretary is still on it even when she is down. Christophe is not so much sitting on the throne as he is hanging on it.Thin shoulders slack and slack, body leaning on one side, one leg resting listlessly on the edge of the throne.Christopher was reading a scroll when Duffy brought Lorena in. "Your Excellency, Colonel Lorena seeks an audience." The elderly butler said humbly. "What's the matter, Lorena?" Christopher's eyes were still fixed on the scroll.

"Private Strovo is missing," Lorena said straight to the point. Christopher raised his eyelids and looked at her: "Does this name mean anything to me?" "If you remember what the Queen's Chamber said by heart, you will know." Christopher put down the scroll and straightened his body: "In this room, you'd better talk to me in a different tone, Colonel." Lorena gave the Minister of the Interior a disgusted look. "Thank you for reminding me. No matter which room I am in, I will tell you like this. Queen Proudmoore wants you to take charge of Theramore's government affairs while she is away, but that doesn't mean you are the queen." Lorena proudly She smiled gently: "If you want to be a queen and give orders, you are not qualified yet."

Christopher's eyebrows furrowed. "Until Queen Proudmoore comes back, I have the right to represent the queen. You'd better show some respect to this office." "Your office is the Office of the Minister of the Interior, Christopher, which means that you are just a minister of the queen, and your status is similar to mine. So, stop putting on airs in front of me and pretend to be powerful." Christopher picked up the scroll, leaned on the throne, and asked weakly: "Are you here to argue?" "As I said, Private Strovo is missing. I sent him out to scout the Burning Blade. I spoke to his brother Manuel, and he said they had it all planned at the Devil's Inn. Strovo sat In one corner, Manuel was talking to a guy they thought might have something to do with the Burning Blade clan, and then Strovo followed him. It happened the night before, and we haven't heard from him since."

"What business does it matter to me?" Christopher asked impatiently. "You long-winded idiot, he's spying on the Burning Blade clan, the Burning Blade clan that attacked me and my subordinates at Northwatch. I think this is very strange, don't you think?" "It's no big deal," Christopher put down the scroll. "It's a sad fact that there are always people who flee the troops without permission. I think you'll understand in the future, Colonel." Lorena said sharply: "I understand it now, Minister of the Interior. But I also know Strovo very well. Even if he broke his leg, he would not be a deserter. He is the best soldier I have ever seen!" I want to search all of Okaz Island until I find him."

"No." Lorena grasped the hilt subconsciously, but she knew how foolish it would be to assassinate the man who now sat on the throne of Theramore, and he didn't deserve to die on the throne or be assassinated. "What do you mean 'no'?" "I think the colonel knows very well what that word means." "How funny!" Lorena let go of her sword hilt and walked to the big window.She would rather look at something else than see Christopher again.The sky was so clear she could see all the way to the northeast of Okaz Island. "The Burning Blades have been giving me sleepless nights, Home Secretary, they can cast spells, and they can—"

"Well, Colonel, the Burning Blade clan is just a rumour, and your soldiers are gone, and you can't tell if it's true or not now. I'm afraid I can't devote all of Theramore's forces to find a deserter—more What's more, these troops are about to come in handy now." Lorena turned around and asked puzzledly, "What are you talking about?" "You won't have to call you again by yourself," Christopher said. Lorena really wanted to ask him why he didn't talk about it in the first place. Christopher chuckled and said, "What you have to do is not to ask the person sitting on the throne, but to obey the order of that person. Now, that person tells you that he just got the news that the orcs are There is a large army gathered at Kocal Crags. This is the closest port from Durotar to Northwatch."

Not caring to mention how familiar she was with this Kocal cliff, Lorena frowned and asked, "When did it happen?" "Just this morning. Major Davin needs reinforcements again. I want you to lead the troops." Although Lorena's work does not include the mobilization and management of Theramore and Northwatch troops, she has the right to know the situation of the troops. "Reinforcement again? When did the reinforcements start at Northpost?" "Yesterday. There have been several incidents along the commercial coast. Some orcs have openly provoked humans, and several have been arrested. One of our captains was also attacked and captured by them."

Listening to these special reports, Lorena nodded numbly: "So what? Don't goblins specialize in fighting?" "It's not a fight!" Christopher growled.Too many things surprised Lorena today.The Secretary of the Interior was always pompous and domineering, and never looked at people - and Lorena sometimes had to admit that he did a good job - but she had never heard of this skinny man so big. speak loudly. "Whether it's a fight or not," Lorena said calmly, she deliberately lowered her voice to calm Christopher's anger, "it's not the point. Why should we strengthen the fortifications at Northpost?"

"I told you the orc troops—" "I mean the original fortifications." Christopher shrugged: "Major Davin thought it was necessary, so I agreed." Lorena shook her head and turned to the window again. "Major Davin has always been in favor of fighting with orcs. Minister of the Interior, I don't believe his description of this incident. He may have exaggerated." "I don't believe he will—the gathering of armies is not a joke." Christopher stood up, stepped off the throne, and stood beside her, "Colonel, if Northwatch is about to become the starting point for another war between humans and orcs?" Forward positions, we have to prepare early. That's why I sent two garrison troops and one elite guard."

Hearing this, Lorena's jaw almost dropped.She took a step back so that she could face Christopher without being so close to him. "Elite guards? Their duty is to protect the safety of Queen Proudmoore!" Christopher said calmly: "She's lost contact now, and she can take care of herself. It's better to transfer them to Northwatch than to sit here all day doing nothing." Lorena shook her head again: "Your decision was too hasty, Christopher. Although the situation is a little tense now, it doesn't mean that there is going to be a war." "Probably not—but I'd rather prepare for an unnecessary war than prepare for nothing when disaster strikes."

This sounds reasonable, but Lorena still doesn't like it. "What if the orcs interpret this as deliberate hostility?" "That's how I understand their actions now, Colonel. Either way, we need our best commander to be on the scene, which is why I asked you to lead the troops to reinforce Northpost. The speed of your troops is great, and you can bring Take your deputy and set off on the spaceship, and the rest of the troops on the ship. You go first, and wait for them to arrive to prepare for their deployment." Lorena sighed.If the ship was ready, Christopher had made up his mind long before she entered the room.Now, she has only one last trump card: "I think we should wait for Queen Proudmoore to come back." "You have the right to think that." Christopher walked back to the throne and sat down, his arms slumped dramatically on the armrests on either side of the throne, "Queen Proudmoore is busy helping her precious orc friends, but the gang The orcs are strengthening their fortifications and preparing to destroy us. I will not allow her painstaking efforts to be ruined on her fantasy of Thrall. Now Colonel, you have received an order, please carry it out." "Christopher, this was a mistake. Let me find Strovo first and find out—" "No," Christopher's voice became softer, and he lowered his hand, "Well, Colonel, let me make a concession, you can send two soldiers to find Strovo. I can only do so much gone." Lorena guessed that this might be the best thing she could ever get from the Secretary of the Interior. "Thanks. If you don't mind, I think it's time I called my lieutenants." Christopher picked up the scroll with his right hand, and waved impatiently with his left hand: "You can go." Lorena turned around and stormed out of the throne room.