Losa awoke from the darkness and instinctively touched his neck—a cold blade had brushed against his throat, a sensation that one could only understand if experienced.
Prajna's cool voice gradually calmed the fiery emotions Losa had carried from the battlefield.
Seeing Prajna, Losa always felt reassured, as if nothing could faze her, no matter how serious things got.
Is this the sense of security brought by the Heavy Iron Guard?
Losa wiped the sweat from his forehead and rose, saying, "I'm going to wash my face, no need to follow me, I'll be back soon."
Prajna paused mid-motion as she was about to get up, thought for a moment, then nodded, "Alright, considering your current proficiency in Blood Magic, you likely won't encounter issues like last time."
She lay back down on the bed, pulling the covers up to her chest.
The deep night at Constant Manor was utterly silent.
After washing his face with the cold fountain water in the courtyard, Losa suddenly felt a sensation and turned around.
He saw Jeanne standing by the window, wearing a thin shirt, her head slightly lowered, meeting his gaze.
Her expression was complex.
But neither spoke; they only exchanged nods and returned to their rooms.
Losa tucked the covers around the restless sleeping Furinjira and lay back down.
Immediately, he unhesitatingly started the second simulation.
[You have begun the second simulation—and are awakened at the castle of Chinon, touching a non-existent wound on your neck, feeling uneasy.]
[Faced with the harsh situation, you decide—]
Losa scanned the three given options and asked without hesitation, "Can I choose a fourth option?"
[The reborn you have become stubborn, ignoring your ministers' advice, choosing a new path, deciding—]
Lights began to appear before Losa's eyes.
The perspective pulled down, the scene becoming vivid.
He looked around and found himself in a castle hall, where two full sets of knight plate armor were displayed on the weapon rack, and above the hall hung the French fleur-de-lis crest.
In the upper right of his view was a small hourglass.
Losa knew it represented the short time he had before it ran out, during which he could move freely.
He did not hesitate and directly picked up a pen to start writing on the desk in front of him.
He needed to write two letters, one to Duke Richard of York or his guardian—Losa attempted to initiate the War of the Roses ahead of time.
Henry VI was still a young lad then, otherwise, he wouldn't need two dukes to regent separately; his position was not stable.
The reason nobody had stood up to challenge Henry VI's throne yet was that the English continued to win, but if they suffered setbacks on the battlefield, it might be different.
And Duke Richard of York was, in the original historical timeline, the one who stood to challenge the Lancaster family's throne.
Of course, it was impossible to persuade Richard with just a few words; this merely planted a seed for the War of the Roses to ignite early.
The second letter was still for the Duke of Burgundy.
The last time, with the letter sent to Duke Philip of Burgundy, Losa doesn't believe it had no effect; Philip definitely wasn't a fool.
The only possibility was that the offer was too low.
But Losa also knew his current situation; besides empty promises, he had nothing more to offer.
Picking up the pen, he started writing.
Since Losa was not Charles VII and had no deep-seated hatred for Duke Philip, he started writing flattering but insincere words without a shred of shame.
Dear brother-in-law, cousin, beloved Philip, I am Charles.
I know you may not wish to see my letter, but please allow me to defend myself; the assassination of your father, also my uncle's attendant, was never at my behest.
I have discovered that he was under the control of a witch employed by the English, intending to sow discord between us brothers to aid their invasion of France and domination of Europe.
I swear by our shared surname Capet-Valois, as well as the honor of our ancestor Hugues Capet, let God be my witness, that I speak no falsehoods.
Losa's pen paused slightly, instinctively glancing at the large portrait of the first King Capet, Hugues Capet, hanging inside the castle, feeling inexplicably guilty.
He continued writing:
Dear Philip, even if you still disbelieve what I'm telling you, I must nonetheless warn you of something.
Ask yourself honestly, do you still believe you can obtain the throne of France at this point?
The Lancaster family, who have secured the thrones of England and France, will be a terrifying colossus, and in the future, you'll only be able to submit to the barbarous English across the Channel.
If you are willing to help me, even by remaining neutral in the upcoming war, I promise you: once I am crowned king and drive away the English, The rıghtful source is 𝖓𝖔𝖛𝖊𝖑~𝖋𝖎𝖗𝖾~𝖓𝖊𝖙
I will support your eastern expansion to annex Lorraine, Brabant, Holland, Liège, Outer Jura Burgundy, and Savoy.
I will help you gain another crown, one equal in stature to that of France—the crown of Lotharingia.
Dear Philip, as of now, Sigismund, who rules the Holy Roman Empire, is fighting the Hussite heretics, and the Lords of the Holy Roman Empire are a scattered mess—surely it's better to focus on this rather than the crown of France, which is doomed to be unrelated to you?
As brothers of the Valois family, we should support each other, not stand opposed as we do now.
These words come from the bottom of my heart, as your brother, there's no deceit at all; I sincerely hope you'll consider this thoroughly.
Sealing the letter and stamping it with the Crown Prince's seal.
After sending it out, Losa's view returned to the void above.
[You have sent out two crucial confidential letters, and the messenger you selected is your most trusted attendant, but for the letters to be delivered will take time, and their impact will gradually manifest in the future.]
[Half a month later, on the territory of Champagne, you encountered enemy raiders, led by Baron Betner and his five hundred soldiers.]
This time, Losa unhesitatingly chose the first option—to send troops for rescue!
His view once again pulled down; he witnessed a team of fully-armored elite knights following his lead as they marched out of the castle of Chinon.
Along the way, as he kept gathering soldiers, he finally came to face the British troops led by Betner at the border of Champagne and Lorraine.
The war was extremely brutal.
Even without directly controlling his body, the Charles VII that Losa played had tremendous fighting strength; even some knights with extraordinary power were not his match.
[The war ended, you successfully saved the border village about to be set ablaze, and your unparalleled bravery on the battlefield earned you respect from astonished knights and soldiers, who dubbed you Brave Charles.]
Losa recalled that he had such a title in reality too, though now, it should have been replaced by "Dragon Slayer."
He continued watching.
[You have shattered the myth of the invincible British army, and the confidence of your subjects in war begins to show signs of being rekindled, while your previously dismal personal image has been regarded anew.]
[At this moment, a maiden came rushing out from the village, holding a Knight's Sword. She claimed to have received divine inspiration from God to help you drive away the English.]
Your choice is: A. You decide to trust and employ her, appointing her as the Commander-in-Chief of your army.
B. You decide to have the Priest and Bishop test her to verify whether she is a raving lunatic who just talks big.
C. Get out, you foolish woman with your sorcery games!