When the Saintess Arrives, No King Exist-Chapter 905 - 856: "Dwarf" Peter

"Advisory Council Bulletin: Refuting Rumors."

"Recently, there have been rumors that King Leia is preparing to negotiate peace with the Thousand River Valley People, granting titles to a new noble, the Grand Duke of Thousand River Valley, and allowing for self-governance."

"Why didn't they negotiate when Grand Duke Moliat was around?"

"So, this is a ploy by the Leia people to divide the Thousand River Valley. Fellow believers, please keep your eyes open and do not be misled."

"May 6, 1449."

The primary school teacher in Great Stable Town stumbled through the announcement, while the townsfolk behind him continued to argue noisily.

Fortunately, the notice didn't use any advanced vocabulary or grammar; otherwise, even a primary school teacher wouldn't understand it.

"Are the Leia people scared of fighting? Do they want to negotiate peace?"

"Didn't they say it's just a rumor?"

"You really believe it's just a rumor? What if it's the Monastery lying? Anyway, we don't know what King Leia actually said."

"At least King Leia didn't forbid us from drinking, right?"

"Aren't you afraid they'll take your son for brewing?"

"That's the fault of those bastard Archbishops of Feiliu Castle, nothing to do with the Pope or King Leia, is it?"

"Was Constans ever held accountable by the Pope? Any explanation?"

"Uh…"

Great Stable Town is a small town in Walnut Creek Village, unlike those newly established towns; it has a history of nearly a hundred years.

This was once land desolated by war, eventually built from scratch by immigrants from Leia—a Leia Knight bringing along dozens of servants.

When the nation of Thousand River Valley People fell, it also brought in excellent manpower from Leia.

For instance, the brewing industry in Great Stable Town.

Though called a small town, it's quite sizable, with nearly a thousand people and a thriving brewing industry, making it relatively affluent.

Unlike those Holy Alliance new towns consisting of only one crossroads, the townsfolk of Great Stable Town have some of their own ideas.

Even though they're hardly of Leia blood anymore due to mixed heritage, they still consider themselves Leia people.

Regarding the Advisory Council's bulletin, they always choose what to believe.

The reason for this characteristic owes much to their Town Mayor.

As the townsfolk were talking, several burly men pushed through the crowd, allowing the short, stout Mayor "Dwarf" Peter, with his big bushy beard, to enter.

"Good afternoon, Mayor Peter."

"Mayor, bless you, may the Holy Father protect you."

No one dared use his nickname "Dwarf" to his face.

Coming to the bulletin board, Peter read it with exaggerated gestures before turning around and saying: "Alright, alright…"

Seeing the crowd still noisy, he stomped his iron boots hard, and the burly men yelled loudly: "Quiet, all of you, shut up!"

The burly men waded into the crowd, giving a few loudly complaining individuals a slap, calming the crowd down.

Twirling his thick black beard, Dwarf Peter appeared deep in thought: "This notice, in principle, shouldn't pose any issue.

But that was back in the Female Grand Duke's time, she was a noble of high moral caliber, naturally wouldn't lie easily.

But now, who are those people in the Advisory Council? Bunch of unscrupulous traders, drifters, and peasants!

You say the Leia people's negotiation is fake, but King Leia spread the peace treaty everywhere, how could it be fake?

Besides, if the Holy Alliance has a clear conscience, why not distribute the Lees' peace treaty to all the towns?"

Peter's voice was especially clear in the silence: "That Saint's Grandson also said there'd be no grain collection when the Saintess comes, so why is my granary left with only wheat bran?"

The townsfolk immediately began to chatter like sparrows again.

Although Peter was annoying in normal times, he was more familiar than that "Pope" who conscripted laborers.

Reportedly, this "Pope" even openly engaged in debauchery with witches disguised as "Saintess" by daylight.

Even if anyone was unhappy with Peter's words, they dared not refute them.

Rapping the noticeboard with his hand, Peter's words were almost disdainful: "So, roughly, do you know what to be afraid of?

The Saint's Grandson serves as the wartime Pope, what if the war never ends, what will happen then?

In the end, we must unite, not letting the Leia people benefit or be deceived by those with ulterior motives!"

Peter seemed to have said nothing, yet everything at the same time.

The townsfolk pretending to understand while knowing nothing quietly explained to others as they left. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

The Saint's Grandson is a fake, the coup was to drive away Grand Duke Moliat...

Also, the Saint's Grandson clearly reached Xia Lvcheng before withdrawing, apparently not wanting the war to end...

When someone asked why not, those know-it-alls slapped their thighs and said: "This way, he can remain the Pope forever, after all, Thousand River Valley needs a Duke to hold significance."

Watching the departing crowd, the dwarf Peter turned his head and sneezed abruptly at the notice board.

Staring at the notice covered in snot and saliva, Peter nonchalantly rubbed his nose: "Well, sorry for the sneeze, let's just take it down and replace it later."

The few burly servants immediately rushed forward and tore down the notice on the board.

The town residents who arrived late could only scratch their heads in puzzlement at the notice board with booger on it.

Meanwhile, Peter cheerfully swung his hands, mounted his horse, and headed towards the Great Stable Town Hall.

There are two types of settlements on the land of Thousand River Valley, or rather two types of colonizers.

One type is the Priests Cultivators, colonizing and attracting immigrants centered around churches and monasteries.

The other is Knights, expanding territories outward from castles and mansions.

Of course, the church-centered towns would have Baron Knights for protection, and within the realms of Baron Knights, there would also be churches and monasteries.

Only, the former's priests hold higher status, while the latter's nobles hold higher status.

In the Thousand River Valley War, Horn and Moliat joined forces, openly or secretly removing the majority of priest territories.

These lands were either taken over and transformed by the Thousand River Valley Holy Alliance or fell into the hands of local nobles.

Many external scholars defined the Thousand River Valley War as a joint effort by nobles and commoners to expel the church and divide its assets.

After the bloodless night, the nobles originally gathered in the city returned to rural areas.

However, the nobles' mansions in towns turned into town halls, and the castles outside the city were too cold and gloomy.

So many nobles either built new residences or lived in hunting lodge annexes.

The Great Stable Town Hall was once a knight's mansion in the town, standing at ends opposite the church.

Since it's a knight's mansion, naturally it has deep courtyards, high walls, and a three-story turret with wooden arrow towers.

The militia on the arrow tower saw Peter coming, immediately whistled, and opened the gates.

Peter dismounted at the gate, washed his face with clean water, and put away his previously high and haughty demeanor.

He bent over like a court eunuch of the royal court, lowered his head, and followed the servants up to the top floor of the turret.

Originally, the top floor of this town hall should have been where the Town Mayor rested and worked.

But at this moment, a man in a silk robe sat on the plush chair, tall enough to almost be two Peters in height.

"You're here?"

Peter dared not lift his head: "Lord Van der Vein, I tore down the notice of the Mad Pope from the Holy Alliance."

"That's good then." The noble named Van der Vein shook his copper wine glass and drained the red wine within it, "Did you succeed in recruiting those Defensive Army troops?"

"Successfully, the few Defensive Army troops nearby had never seen money before, so I easily bribed and recruited them."

"That's even better." Van der Vein appraised Peter, stepped forward to help him up, "You did well, under the tyranny of that Mad Pope, there are too few loyal people.

If someday Thousand River Valley is successfully restored, with your son's breathing techniques, I assure you he'll be knighted!"

"Thank you, my lord." Peter was overjoyed, completely forgetting that his son learned breathing techniques entirely through joining the Defensive Army to practice, "If you have any further instructions, I'll ensure it's done flawlessly!"

"Nothing else, haste makes waste, away with you." Just moments before enthusiastically supporting Peter, Van der Vein's expression changed instantly.

Peter, however, was not annoyed, obediently backed out of the room while moving backward.

Van der Vein stood by the window, gazing at the town before him.

He originally feared retaliation from the Leia people, which is why he sided with Horn and Moliat.

He even accepted a Public Register Farmer from Horn as his religious leader.

But the close interaction led to estrangement instead.

Can others not see, and neither can he?

Now that the Leia people extended an olive branch, it's a perfect breakthrough.

If it weren't for the inability to win on the front battlefield, why bother with this tactic?

As long as they can contact Her Highness Moliat, with the influence of these nobles among the populace and middle management, they are bound to aid Her Highness Moliat in returning to her rightful place.

At the very least, they cannot let Horn succeed!

```