Chapter 220: Head of Deverich Branch

"Praise for your piety." The already broken Knight Deverich failed to kneel down in the end, but even the most picky diplomat would not question such a thing.

"Please be sure to save the five thousand members of the Knights Hospitallers, His Royal Highness the Cardinal Archbishop."

Having lost one right leg and all the fingers on his left hand, coupled with his wrinkled face and exhausted eyes, Knight de Vrich looked more than twenty years older than when he parted ways at the beginning of the year.

The old knight in his prime no longer exists, only a candle in front of the wind remains.

Although the style of his armor hints that his status has now been greatly improved. He is no longer a liaison officer, but has become the leader of the German division second only to the head of the Knights Hospitallers. However, this is really nothing to congratulate.

This promotion was not due to his old relationship with Ladislaus, but because the Knights Hospitallers had lost four-fifths of their senior staff, and even semi-disabled people could be promoted as long as they still had the will to fight.

This organizational state shows that after more than half a year of siege, the Knights Hospitallers are really on their last legs.

The tragic situation of Knight Deverich is the epitome of the state of the Knights Hospitaller.

"The Knights Hospitaller are the benefactors of all believers of the True God of Europe. Please don't be impatient. We, the Warlock Royal Family, will definitely not ignore the Knights Hospitaller. Please tell me the current status of Rhode Island first."

Faced with this problem, Captain Deverich did not start speaking directly. He suddenly realized that the words he had prepared were not enough to explain the current situation on Rhode Island. He seemed to be a little confused and thought for a while before finding out.

That word: "Collapse, just collapse." The leader of the Deverich branch seemed unable to accept the word he found.

He hesitated for a while before continuing: "In the past six months, only fifty-three of the one hundred and seventy Hospital Knights are still alive. All the leaders of the five major divisions of German, Spanish, French, English, and Portuguese have died at least

The candidates were changed once, including three times in Spanish. The three "Protectors" except the general leader Adam were still able to persist. His Highness Bierhoff died, His Highness Cantona also lost his sword-wielding hand, and twelve

There are only two Dark Sun priests left, and all eleven mages are gone." There is no need for a list, Knight Deverich recognizes every officially sworn Hospital Knight, and it is only now that he realizes it for the first time.

It turned out that the losses were actually so great.

The proportion of senior warriors in the Knights Hospitaller is much higher than that of all major European countries. It is not surprising that the knights who have traveled thousands of miles away from home to fight against demon believers in the most dangerous places are the most dedicated and courageous figures.

What's more, they have been on the front line for a long time, and each of them is fighting for the rest of his life. That's why there are so many "national protectors" in an area controlled by a mere tens of thousands of people.

"There are too many enemies. There are 200,000 of them. Your Highness, 200,000." Ladislaus looked solemn after hearing this, but Sazastan did not conceal his suspicion.

Seeing Sazastan's suspicion, the head of Deverich continued to emphasize: "Please believe me, the Ottoman Empire really has 200,000 soldiers. They can get food supplies from Egypt and material supplies from Istanbul. They are shipped every day.

There is an endless stream of fleets carrying grain and cloth, and they never stop from morning to night."

"But the Kingdom of Hungary has been reporting that the number of Ottoman legions opposite them is still sufficient." Sazastan knew that this was an old friend of Ladislaus, so his questioning was polite.

"I am willing to swear on the honor of my knight that we are really facing an unprecedented army." Deverich's branch leader was very excited and could not accept even the smallest doubt. "The Ottoman Empire has the most efficient administration.

System, under strict punishments, no one can be lazy, and no one dares to embezzle a penny from Sultan Suleiman. In the face of the Sultan's insightful wisdom, they have no choice but to work hard."

Sazastan still believed that the other party was exaggerating the enemy in order to earn some face for himself, but Ladislaus believed in Deverich.

Suleiman would later be known as the "Great Emperor", and it was not unreasonable for him to be remembered as one of the greatest monarchs of the Church of the Star and Moon in Li Di's history.

Of course, Ladislaus absolutely did not believe that no one dared to commit corruption. Corruption existed wherever there were people. At most, it was just a matter of degree.

"I believe you, Captain Deverich, that the intelligence work of Austria and Spain in the Ottoman Empire has been completely paralyzed in recent years. I believe this means that we have encountered an unprecedentedly powerful enemy." Ladislaus said first.

The kind words calmed the excited knight, and then asked: "There are still five thousand soldiers on Rhodes Island? So what is the situation of the material reserves? Is the defensive fortress still intact?"

"No, there were not even 5,000 soldiers when the Knights Hospitallers were at their peak. What's more, two-thirds of them have been killed in the battle. Now there are still 5,000 men, women, and children on the island, but the supplies are enough, at least there is enough food.

To eat, we have stockpiled food for a year based on the standard of 10,000 people. We are just a little short of cloth and fuel. Although the cold in Rhode Island cannot kill anyone in the winter, it will be difficult in humid days. What is even more dangerous is that the body cannot be cremated in time.

The plague will break out, and those corpses will inevitably lower the morale of the survivors. All the outer fortresses are still in our hands. Protector Bierhoff and more than half of the priests and mages are trying to recapture a captured fortress.

Died in battle. In fact, currently if any point of this defense system is opened, it will completely collapse. We no longer have the ability to resist one after another, let alone recapture the lost fortress. Once any point is broken through again, it will be

Rhode Island has been captured, and the Knights Hospitaller may be destroyed at any time." As he spoke, Deverich knelt down to beg for mercy again.

The number of six thousand soldiers already exceeded the number of Austrian field troops. Of course, if Vienna mobilized and organized 20,000 soldiers to defend the city, it would not be a problem.

"Please believe me, the Warlock Royal Family will never sit idly by and watch the Hospital Knights attempt to destroy themselves." Ladislaus said while helping him up again. "How is the Knights' navy doing now?"

This navy plays the same role as the Barbary pirates in the Mediterranean all year round, but its goals are opposite to the Barbary pirates. They specialize in robbing ships and coastal towns flying the star and crescent flag.

Just as the Ottoman Empire needed Barbary pirates, the Habsburg Empire also needed these knight pirates.

It’s just that Spain has been unable to invest enough financial resources to support the Knights Hospitallers, so naturally it cannot completely control this navy like the Ottoman Empire. In this rescue war, Spain definitely wants to establish some kind of master-slave relationship and incorporate this powerful Mediterranean force into its own.

's camp.

"Currently, most of the ships controlled by the Spanish knights have been withdrawn to the port of Taranto, and the ships controlled by the French knights have been withdrawn to Marseille or Crete. The knights have different opinions on how to reorganize." Dever.

Although the leader of the Rich branch is upright, he is not a fool. He is very clear about the Habsburg family's plans for the Knights Hospitallers. However, although he is the leader of the German Knights, he does not control a few ships. He has no connection with his colleagues in France or Spain.

Can't compare.
Chapter completed!