One of the many soldiers who was working removing rubble in the burned city, removing with the help of another comrade a large wooden beam revealed what appeared to be a path to some catacombs below the destroyed building.
So staring into the eyes of their partner, the two draw their swords and prepared to go down those stairs.
As they came down, illuminated only by the light of a small torch, they could see some corpses that were on the stairs.
"It seems that these poor bastards could not find a way out of this place and they ended up dying due to the heat, you have to be careful because perhaps there could be survivors in this place."
His partner, upon hearing the words, could only laugh while kicking one of the corpses "Perhaps it seems to you that these people had the opportunity to hide or hide their children, in this place we will only find dead people even look at that woman still holding her baby or whatever it was.
I can tell you from my own experience that women will do everything they can to defend their children and unless this woman is the exception, I can assure you that all of them died without being able to find a way out.
Most likely, the beam we removed blocked their way so they could never escape from this place, but what I'm not sure of is whether they suffered or not.
Well, unlike the corpses that are above these do not seem to have many marks of despair, Even if you look closely at the wall there are no traces that they suffered before they died, so only God will know why they died. "
"Maybe you're right, but why did these people come to hide up to the place if there was no way out unless they were too idiots or ..."
The soldier interrupted his words when I can see a door that had clear signs of having been injured in many ways, including buried fingernails from people who had been desperate to try to open it.
"I think that door answers the question of what happened here, now we should inform our sergeant because we do not know that we will find ourselves behind that door."
The two sides agreed and quickly went out to search for their sergeant over the door they had found.
After a while and after completely cleaning the corpses that were on those stairs, Ludovico came down with a group of soldiers who carry a hand ram because they thought of entering and discovering what was behind that door.
Adelaide and another soldier, taking the ram in hand, began to pound on that door over and over again until it finally broke because the door could not bear the constant blows they were making on it.
When the door fell, everyone could see some stairs that seemed to lead to a deeper area within that construction, so Ludovico gave the order for everyone to enter.
When they are going down those stairs, everyone felt a sensation of chills because they could hear strange noises that came from below those stairs, after going down they managed to enter a room which was full of Bible verses and other things painted on the walls.
Ludovico looked quite curiously at everything he had written on the walls for just a few moments before he gave the order for the soldiers to divide and enter those tunnels while he waited for them to come out with those people he had managed to hide.
"I'm sure these tunnels where duke Dean escaped, don't you think so, Adelaide?"
Adelaide, nodding, sat down next to her father. "But if it's the tunnels that Dean's traitor was talking about, letting the soldiers go looking for something that may already be dead is quite dangerous for them, or I am not right, father?"
Ludovico at that moment began to laugh and placed his hand on his daughter's shoulder "This will be a test for them because it will show if they have God's favor or if they simply die, but whatever the result, I am not interested if they get a corpse or Bishop Prisco alive.
They must check those tunnels without leaving any place unchecked because I want to know what is hidden in these tunnels and why we are hearing strange noises.
If we can only get evidence that Bishop Prisco has done things that go against the doctrine of God, definitely none of your brothers or the nobles will reveal themselves for what we did.
By the way, Adelaide, if at any time your brothers try to rebel and I just defeated them in battle, I want you to take charge of murdering them because a son is of no use to me, what place to build is dedicated to destroying.
Shit like that we don't need in the family. Can you promise me that you will do that, daughter? "
Adelaide looked seriously at her father and nodded slowly "I will do what you ask father, even if it means ending those I once called brothers, for they would do the same to me without even blinking."
Ludovico bowed his head and took a deep breath "I understand what you are saying Adelaide, I tried to educate them in the best possible way but unfortunately, his mother was a destructive influence.
Although I realized too late, after she had made them what they are now, I am sure that if I die, they will fight for my throne in such a stupid way that would make your uncles look like little children compared to them.
Besides, I cannot do anything for them because from the moment they began to make alliances behind my back, they simply became competitors to the throne who will try to do everything possible to put the crown that I carried on my head.
If only I can make you my heir but unfortunately these people do not like what I think and because of your origin, I doubt very much that the nobles will support you, but in any case, if you continue with me I will make sure that you are the guardian of the part north of the Empire.
Maybe that way your brothers are not too stupid and try to fight you Well if they do they will get a horrible surprise, so remember Adelaide always show your most horrible side in front of them that they do not see your weaknesses because they will not hesitate to finish with your life if they find them.
I do not know how long I can be with you, but I promise you that I will stay alive until I finish my revenge and see all those burned forests and the land of the north turned into a gigantic wasteland of ice which is not conducive to life.
I also can't die before I can find Anders, that son of a bitch and motherfucker deserves to suffer the worst of the worst that we can do while we keep him alive so he never ever forgets what he did to me.
As that bastard pagan queen, we will destroy her kingdom and catch her alive so we can take her in chains as a slave to the capital and we will make her cross the Roman arch while all the people watch our victory over those pagans ... "
Ludovico interrupted his speech because he heard some screams coming from one of the caves, so he looked at that cave with a smile, hoping that those soldiers had found it in that place.
It was not long before he could see how two soldiers who were quite injured were dragging what seemed to be Bishop Prisco, who did not seem to be injured but was in a state of complete paranoia.
Well, he kept his face covered with his hands trying not to see something that had scared him too much. When he saw that state, Bishop Ludovico got up and walked towards him, then stooped down and took his face with his hand.
"But what happened to you Bishop you do not seem to be very healthy mentally, considering that you are a person who planned to assassinate the emperor just for power, created these caves have given you a new life experience, or am I wrong."
The bishop did not even pay attention to what Ludovico had said because he did not stop repeating some words without using his voice, as if somehow he had shouted so much at the time that he had become hoarse.
Ludovico then quite angrily released the Bishop's face and began to kick him repeatedly, seeking to alleviate the hatred he had.
"Damn Bishop son of a bitch, don't think you're going to free yourself from my punishment, just because you don't remember your name, I'll take care of keeping you alive with your son so that you suffer the worst misfortunes and you can never recover.
The soldier gets this shit out of my sight before I finish killing him as soon as the other soldiers tell them to get out of these holes because it gives me a bad feeling to be in this place. "
While it was happening, in a tower Duke Hippolyte took a deep breath and looked at his minister of war "Order the troops that prepare for an attack from the north from the hands of the emperor, if that accursed one wants my land he will get it only on my corpse.
Also, send some letters to the emperor's children and tell them that I am going to reveal myself against him, this moment was the best opportunity for them if they are looking for the crown.
Because otherwise, their father will end up murdering them or taking away the rights, they have at this moment.
If they don't believe me, just send them the descriptions of what their father has done in that city in the duchy of Dithmarschen.
I am sure they will be afraid of being the next to be hung on the wall if a city that was not at fault was burned that stops the emperor from destroying his children or other nobles. "