Hyperdimensional Player

Chapter 25: Attack of Anya!

On a small slope beside a stream.

As Duncan and his men gradually approached, Duke Dintagir stood up and took the initiative to greet the knight who came to his rescue.

He was the Duke of Cornwall and owned a large territory. His power was second only to King Uther. The two were also in a competitive relationship. Before the Saxon barbarians invaded, he even had a conflict with King Uther.

A long time ago, when meeting King Uther, Duke Dintagir brought his wife Igraine with him. King Uther fell in love with Igraine at first sight and thought about her day and night.

Later, with the help of the knights Euphemism and Merlin, King Uther transformed himself and sneaked into Igraine's bedroom, spent a night with the beautiful Duchess, and became pregnant with King Arthur.

Cornwall is at the bottom of the map of Britain, in that protruding corner. Because they were trying to avoid Saxon pirates, the place where Duncan and his crew landed was a bit far away.

Duncan and his group gradually approached.

Duke Dintagir - Goroas could not help but look at the people who had just saved his life. The most eye-catching one among them was undoubtedly Severus, because his dress was so famous in the British Isles of Celtic mythology.

A druid priest!

Then, his eyes fell on the young man who was riding alone, carrying a bow and a sword. He was too young. Human body No. 1 was only nineteen years old this year. He had just worked as a blacksmith apprentice for half a year. He was sent back to the border village of Bran because he hooked up with the charming boss lady next door.

Handsome, tall and straight, with deep eyes and a restrained spirit, his facial features are like those of an ancient Greek statue, which makes people unable to look away. When you look directly into his eyes, your heart will be slightly shocked. Duke Dintagir prides himself on his extraordinary appearance, but he can't help feeling a little ashamed when he sees this young knight.

In fact, Human No. 1 does have a good appearance, otherwise he wouldn't have taken shortcuts, but if you really want to say he's extraordinarily handsome, he's just above average.

The real transformation began when Duncan killed his way through. His appearance took on a unique temperament as he killed. When he was still, he was as calm as the abyss; when he moved, he was like thunder and lightning. The cold light in his eyes made people tremble.

Unconsciously, the blood and fire killing made him develop a unique temperament. Coupled with the blood of the Holy Grail and the improvement of his physical fitness, this change became more and more obvious.

The Raven Queen, Triss, was wearing a veil, hiding her stunningly beautiful face.

So Duke Dingtagir quickly set his sights on the witch - Anya. There was a hint of surprise on his face, as if he was mesmerized by Anya's beautiful face, and he was stunned for a moment.

If so many people had not died in the recent defeat and he himself had escaped by chance, he would definitely have found a way to strike up a conversation with such a beautiful Roman noble lady.

But now, his attention was focused on Duncan alone, and his gaze was quite fiery.

Warrior!
He had never seen such a brave knight in his life!
Duncan rode forward, Anya was slightly ahead by half a horse's head, and the others fell behind, so the difference in priority was immediately obvious.

"It seems that the Roman lady is of the most distinguished status."

Duke Tintagel soon realized this, but he also noticed that the warrior had a very high status and everyone else followed him. The beautiful Roman noblewoman also turned her head to look at him from time to time, with obvious dependence and admiration in her expression.

Anya has too much of the aura of an old Roman aristocrat.

Whether it was her arrogant posture, facial features, skin, dress, etc., she had the temperament of an old-fashioned aristocrat of the empire. If she was not born into a truly aristocratic family with a solid background, it would be impossible to cultivate such a wealthy and noble aura.

After the last Roman legion withdrew from the British province, other forces split up and Duke Dintagir inherited part of the Roman legacy.

Otherwise, he would not be able to form a low-level field army of the British Legion.

Duke Dintagir took the initiative to step forward, his eyes fixed on Duncan, but he greeted Anya first and said, "Thank you all for your help!"

What a brave general!
What he lacks most now is a brave brother like this.

In comparison, although Anya is extremely beautiful, his wife Igraine is also a top beauty in the British Isles. He naturally developed a resistance to her after seeing her so many times.

Anya nodded slightly. Although her status was not as high as the other party, she could not lose in momentum. The old Roman nobleman would not lose in battle, and his momentum was very strong.

You know what, Anya's proud attitude really scared Duke Dingtagir a little.

After all, the British Isles belong to a remote area, a secluded and abandoned imperial province. The title of Duke sounds scary, but this is not the Middle Ages. The Duke is really no match for the Earl, because the Earl is the actual commander of the imperial field army.

Anya was originally an imperial socialite, and was more than capable of dealing with a duke from a remote countryside. She displayed the arrogance of the Romans to the fullest, so much so that Duke Dintagir felt a little guilty about his own origin.

After a brief exchange, Anya answered fluently, which immediately made Duke Dingtagir realize that this Roman noblewoman was from the family of a true commander of the Imperial Field Army.

Although the imperial legions had withdrawn, the Romans still had a certain influence on the British Isles due to their vast empire that had existed for hundreds of years.

Even Duke Dintagir's own ancestor was a Roman legion general who married the daughter of an indigenous chief.

In terms of origin, Anya is obviously more noble than him.

Although Duke Dingtagir was communicating with Anya, his eyes kept looking at the cold guard Duncan who was half a step behind him. Without thinking too much, this brave general must be the personal guard lover of this Roman noble lady. It would be difficult to recruit such a tough guard knight if you are not an old imperial aristocrat.

Among all the people in the group, only Anya's identity can be made public.

Born as a low-class person in the Duncan Empire, Anya had a hard time performing. Even though her status was usually as low as a daily commodity, she was very arrogant at this moment and even dared to look back at the Raven Queen - Triss in a provocative manner.

The Raven Queen - Triss smiled without saying a word, with a playful arc at the corner of her mouth, which scared Anya so much that she couldn't help but shiver.

endure.

Now is not the time to directly challenge the position of Raven Queen Triss.

Anya was born to deal with the nobility. Compared with her casual elegance and arrogance, Duke Dintagir even looked like a rude country tycoon. He always thought that his wife, Igraine, was an elegant and noble beauty, a British rose, but now, when he compared her with Anya, he felt that perhaps only his wife's beauty could be compared.

Duke Dingtagil was so anxious that he scratched his head and never had a chance to have a good communication with Duncan.

Brother General!
No matter how beautiful that woman is, she is just a fallen noble. I am a lord with real power. Why don’t you come to me and I will make you a noble knight.

It has to be said that as long as men go to the battlefield, brave generals are more attractive than beautiful women.

Beautiful women are common, but brave generals are hard to find.

This mutual probing helped them understand each other's backgrounds. True aristocratic origins can be identified through many things; pretending to be aristocrats is not so easy. Duke Dintagill also learned the reason why Anya and her group had ended up on the British Isles.

They encountered Saxon pirates!
In recent years, the British have suffered successive defeats, and the coastline has basically been controlled by Saxon pirates.

The group returned to the castle together.

On the way, Anya fell behind a little and whispered to Duncan, "Stop talking for a while and leave it to me."

In the eyes of the two witch sisters, Duncan is just a 19-year-old green grass who can't deal with such an old fox.

Anya was very good at observing people's expressions. Seeing Duke Dingtagil kept looking at Duncan, she knew that this man was very interested in his "personal bodyguard".

She wants to take the initiative!

If you want to seize the initiative, you must hook this country duke. Anya really doesn't think much of him. A country duke from the British Isles, what kind of person is that? He can't even have a seat in the imperial court.

The orthodox nobles of the Roman Empire were so arrogant.

It's time to show this man what you are capable of. Triss, the Raven Queen, is just a brute with only a little bit of martial prowess.

Now that he had escaped, Duke Dingtagir couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

He did not dare to go back to gather the defeated soldiers. He just wanted to escape back to his own territory as soon as possible, then summon other troops, ask for help from the indigenous tribes close to him, and intercept the enemy invasion again at the front line of the castle.

The reason for this field battle was that he had the advantage in terms of military strength, and he felt that he had the upper hand and had great potential, so he didn't want to fight head-on and was directly beaten.

More than 3,000 people fought against more than 1,000 people and were directly defeated by one wave.

along the way.

Anya had a brief conversation with Duke Dintagir, without mentioning anything about the battlefield. She just told him why she accidentally ended up on the British Isles, and promised that if he helped her return to Rome, she would reward him handsomely.

This is the first step to turn the tables. Anya is making careful moves, waiting for Duke Dingtagil to take the bait.

really.

Duke Dintagir immediately took the bait and said righteously, "You saved my life without asking for anything in return."

"I will certainly find a way to escort the lady back to Rome."

Don't be too purposeful at the beginning.

Anya said frankly that she wanted to use his help to return to Italy, after all, they had no ship at the moment.

Farmlands appeared ahead, all in plains and areas with rivers and lakes.

Anya spoke slowly and at a leisurely pace about the Roman court, including the current Emperor Valentinian III and the Protector of the Empire - Aetius, and seemed to be very familiar with these high-ranking officials of the empire.

This is the second step, to elevate your status.

The British Isles were isolated from news, and Duke Dintagir listened attentively, knowing that the empire was also in trouble.

But a skinny camel is bigger than a horse.

The Roman Empire could still directly resist the Hun Empire's massive invasion of 500,000 troops. This number made even a country duke like him shudder. Compared to the vast territory of the empire, the British province was completely disposable.

That's the empire!

For hundreds of years, Britain was the least noticeable province. It was abandoned because it did not have enough value. In the eyes of the empire, setting up provinces was becoming increasingly unprofitable and a losing business.

Anya secretly observed the other person's expression, continued fishing, and sighed softly: "I wouldn't have accidentally ended up in Britannia."

"It's all because of the unrest in North Africa and the Vandal invasion of Carthage."

“My business has been greatly affected.”

Ok?
Hearing Anya's words, Duke Dingtagil immediately pricked up his ears.

This is the third step, the temptation of benefits.

What Anya said was true. After losing the breadbasket of North Africa, the empire immediately fell into financial hardship, and her Chamber of Commerce was also severely affected. The fleet Anya controlled originally had two trade routes: one from Rome to Alexandria, Egypt, with numerous port cities along the way, and extremely lucrative trade. (The most profitable route even reached Jerusalem and connected to the Silk Road.)
Another trade route was from Rome to Carthage in North Africa, which was also very profitable, as North Africa was an important grain-producing area. Now Anya had lost one arm and the other was also broken.

The entire caravan is in trouble and probably won't be able to hold out for much longer.

She traveled to Gaul by sea, as fighting had broken out beyond the Alps.

Rich woman?

A very wealthy widow?

Duke Dintagir was quite tempted, but when he saw the cold and heroic Duncan, he felt that he had no chance. How could he compete with the young man who looked like an ancient Greek statue? Moreover, he was also a shrewd man. It was obvious that Anya did not take the Duke of the British Isles seriously in her heart.

It's like you are a prince or noble in the capital, your ancestors held military power, and you live in the most prosperous place in the world. How much can you look down on a local tyrant who controls one or two counties in the border area of Yunnan?

That's pretty much what it means. The governors of the British provinces are worth more than the kings and dukes.

The Duke of Dingtagil was roughly equivalent to a daimyo in the Japanese Warring States Period.

She has a fleet?
Can you still engage in ocean trade in the Mediterranean?
To the east, you can reach Alexandria in Egypt? To the west, you can reach Carthage in North Africa?

This is so exciting.

The British Isles are very remote and were not a core province of the empire. They used to have maritime trade, but after the Saxon invasion, everything was in chaos. The Saxon pirates almost blocked the maritime trade with the European land.

Cornwall is a little remote, tucked away in a corner of the British Isles, but that has the advantage of being close to the coastline.

As a qualified ruler.

Duke Dintagill realized that this was an opportunity. If he could get the support of this Roman noblewoman, perhaps he could make a comeback. Whether it was food, weapons, or goods, it could help Cornwall's economy, which had been affected by the war, to recover a lot.

This is Anya's method.

Only tangible benefits can attract such political creatures.

Duncan on the side was also a little surprised. He had heard from the Raven Queen Triss that Anya was very rich and had a merchant fleet, but he didn't expect her to run so far.

In fact, it is normal.

Why would a descendant of a former noble family who has fallen on hard times (a close confidant of the apostate Julian) marry the currently popular commander of the Imperial Field Army?
Beauty and wealth, it's that simple.

After Anya's husband died unexpectedly in battle, she legally inherited most of her husband's family's inheritance.

She is really rich.

Well, it seems I underestimated her. I'll be gentler next time.

Duncan said to himself.

Anya stopped talking about this and gave Duke Dingtagir room for his own imagination. Fishing should be done step by step. Now she is making a nest. Her real purpose is still Duncan's mercenary plan, but her appetite is bigger.

She wanted to legally own a piece of territory on the British Isles.

Preferably somewhere with a port.

Once she owns territory on the British Isles, she can consider transferring part of her assets here. Although the business is not as good as in the Mediterranean, there are many port trading cities along the way from Britain to North Africa.

Where there is territory, there is opportunity.

The most important thing is that she can prove that she is the best wife to help Duncan rise!

It is more comfortable to rob a man.

snort!
The Raven Queen, Triss, is just a brute.

no doubt.

Duke Dintagir has taken the bait.

His position in Britain was awkward. King Uther was the king, while he was the duke, equivalent to a local lord. Therefore, his status and strength were inferior to the other. If it weren't for the Saxon invasion, he would probably have been suppressed by King Uther.

According to legend, after he died in an accident, King Uther also died suddenly two years later. Local princes rose to power and the British Isles entered a real era of turmoil.

Later, Merlin assisted King Arthur to ascend the throne, and there was the famous "Sword in the Stone" incident.

Tintagel Castle.

Duke Dintagill, who fled back in a panic, looked very unhappy, but he still sent people to settle Duncan and his party, and asked the knights of the guards to gather troops to defend against further invasion by the Saxons.

His territory was not small, and at its peak it controlled the area around Winchester, but he had his roots in Cornwall. He was in constant conflict with King Uther, but his power gradually weakened. The lords loyal to him defected to King Uther, and he himself was beaten to a pulp by the Saxons.

The area of the British island is about 24 square kilometers, England is about 13 square kilometers, Scotland is 8 square kilometers, and Wales is 2 square kilometers.

The war mainly took place in England.

The total area is so small that even if many lords divide it up, the territory they control is not very large.

Inside the castle.

Anya quietly walked to Duncan's side, stuffed a bag of gold into his hands, and whispered, "Reward the servant later."

Don't be too generous, but don't be too stingy either.

Everyone was hungry during the escape. Although Duke Dingtagir was defeated miserably, he still wanted to maintain his dignity and ordered a dinner to be prepared for everyone to welcome them.

The Saxon barbarians were not good at sieges, and they might not dare to storm the castle.

His strength has declined greatly, but as long as he is not dead and his family assets are still there, he will not be destroyed all of a sudden.

Duncan nodded slightly.

During the preparations for the dinner, he inadvertently, but was seen, giving gold coins to the servants and knights' squires.

no more, no less.

The coin, weighing about 4.5 grams, was worth five gold aureus. The obverse depicted a bust of a crowned and bearded man, Augustus, and the reverse depicted a winged goddess of victory. Within the empire, one such coin could be exchanged for 30 to 50 silver dinars.

This reward undoubtedly made the serving servants very surprised and quite humble and diligent.

The Romans were arrogant. In their eyes, the British were remote country people and they had helped build the cities.

The more Anya acted, the more convinced they became.

It didn't take long.

One of the gold coins was delivered to Duke Dingtagir. He looked at the gold coin in front of him, listened to the words of the knight's squire, narrowed his eyes slightly, and wondered what he was thinking about.

A whole bag of gold.

The knight's squire was so stunned that his eyes widened. Who would carry a bag of gold with them unless they were a truly rich woman?
Ding.

Duke Dintagir casually tossed the gold coin over, and the knight's squire joyfully caught it. He was lost in thought, not because of the gold itself, but because of the meaning behind it.

Anya had previously hinted that she actually had a private army under her command, a privately-owned army of Imperial standards. (Exiles recruited by Duncan.)
Thaksin believes this.

Because Duncan's strength and fighting style are clearly the benchmark of the army.

"This is an opportunity!"

Duke Tintagel soon realized this, but the question was how could he gain the cooperation of this Roman noblewoman?

The best solution, of course, was for him to marry the wealthy widow.

But his wife would not agree, and the other party might not be willing either. Other forms of cooperation are obviously not as stable as marriage.

No matter what.

This noble lady, whom he met as if by fate, gave him an idea of a way out of his current predicament.

This is where Anya excels.

She did not intend to take the initiative to ask for cooperation with Duke Dingtagil, nor did she intend to join the British Island camp as a low-status mercenary. What she wanted was for Duke Dingtagil to take the initiative to ask for her help, act as an ally, and do what Duncan wanted to do.

That is the foundation for establishing an armed force on the British Isles.

A legitimate, legal, non-invading base that can truly take root in the British Isles!
"Your Majesty the Duke."

"Madam is here!"

At this time, a maid came to report.

Duke Dintagir was obviously a little impatient because Igrai had three daughters but no male heir, and he had been married for many years and had become increasingly cold to him. He even thought about finding a lover to have another son.

Not long after, a graceful and beautiful lady came over. She was about thirty years old. When she saw Duke Dintagir who looked impatient not far away, she trembled all over and covered her mouth with her hands in panic.

The husband returned in great defeat.

Who was the person who spent the night with her the day before yesterday?

Duke Dintagir had not yet realized that he had been defeated, and even his home had been stolen by King Uther.

………………

(End of this chapter)