Chapter 267 The illegitimate prince (4000 words two in one chapter)
"God bless me, I should really pray that this linen robe doesn't smell like salted fish... You know the way back, right, kid?"
Ravel's rotating brown eyes made Luca feel uncomfortable all over. The young man nodded at him and eagerly got into the wooden building.
This building was built by the Earl for Uncle Zeman, at least that’s what he said. In Valaifahan, whether it is a noble residence or a mixed residence on Crab Island, most of them are made of stone from the mountains. Such a wooden building
Although it is inconspicuous, it is still rare.
The light in the room was very dark, and iron buckets containing various colors of paint were scattered around. Luca walked carefully among them, for fear of accidentally knocking them over.
Zeman was sitting on a high chair, shading the painting. When his nephew came in, he stopped writing and cleared his throat and said, "Put the letter down. If you want, you can stay the night."
Zeman intends to keep his nephew here. Although the count will return home tonight, he will probably not come to his small wooden building. When he needs himself, he will only call him to go to him through the cobblestone path.
's bedroom.
"No, uncle." Luca waved his hand quickly: "I want to find Giotto, he also lives on this street."
"Giotto? Who is he? Okay, whatever, but I have to remind you not to get too close to these noble young masters..."
Old Zeman was completely immersed in his creation, and Luca also wisely retreated to a square table and sat down. It was still early, so he could have a full meal, then rest for a while and wait for Giotto to come to him, just like
As usual.
The table was filled with all kinds of dishes, most of which were untouched. Old Zeman often did not think about food and tea when he was painting. The servants would leave after delivering the meals and wait until the sun went down before serving fruits, vegetables and fragrant tea.
Although he had just eaten fried potatoes and salted fish, Luca still could not resist the temptation of this delicacy. He picked up a gelding leg of lamb and took a hard bite. The fat dripped down the corners of his mouth, drop by drop.
It was stuck on the table; the fat goose was roasted until golden, with its neck raised like a domineering noble lord, not to mention the sweet boiled milk mixed with honey, mead and refined salt..."
After a full meal, Luca poured himself a glass of ale, followed Uncle Zeman's example, shook the glass, and drank it down.
I am a big shot, and only big shots drink ale like this!
Maybe one day I will become a knight, Luca thought. I will ride a white horse galloping on the avenue of Vallefahan, with countless girls cheering for me.
Luca's eyes felt heavy, and the plate in front of him stretched and shrank, and finally turned into a hammer and hit him on the bridge of the nose...
When he opened his eyes again, he was dizzy by the splendid curtain wall.
He rubbed his eyes, stood up and looked around. On one side of the long hall were glazed floor-to-ceiling windows, and on the other side were relief carvings of the ancient gods.
Two closed golden wooden doors stood majestically in front of him, with a portrait of Alexander I carved on them.
Luca took a deep breath. The solemn and sacred atmosphere made him a little at a loss... What should he do? Why is he here? Countless questions came to his mind. The young man stood there blankly, not daring to take a step.
The sound of a bell made Luca startle, and the young man realized that it was already sunset. The golden wooden door slowly opened, and four white-robed guards walked out first with long swords, standing on both sides of the door. Followed by countless people in purple uniforms
The gentlemen and adults filed out, with bursts of laughter coming from time to time. "Luca!"
Just as the boy was about to take out his right foot, he heard a crisp sound and froze in place.
It's Giotto!
Luca was secretly happy and walked forward quickly. He stopped two steps away from Giotto and looked at him in surprise.
Giotto was seen wearing a red velvet dress, light yellow trousers reaching down to his waist and ankles, and a Caspian sword on his waist. Even a blind man would not turn a blind eye to the seven rubies inlaid on the hilt of the sword.
…
Luca swallowed his saliva, raised his eyes and glanced upwards, only to see two golden leopards vividly embroidered on the family emblem on Giotto's chest.
He is actually a prince!
Luca was shocked for a moment. Even the poorest people on Crab Island recognized the badge of the two-headed golden leopard.
If there is a person with a two-headed golden leopard embroidered on his chest, kneel down and kiss the soles of his feet.
Luca remembered what the old monk said to him and knelt down on one knee.
"They come out of the storm, prosperity and peace."
Giotto helped up the trembling Luca and joked: "Why don't you recognize me?"
"Ah Giotto, my lord, my lord...what shall I call you?"
"Your Highness!" the voice of a well-meaning person sounded in the young man's ears.
"Oh, yes! Of course, Your Highness! Please forgive me." Luca never imagined that the young man in front of him was actually a prince. He guessed that Giotto was a noble young master, maybe the heir to a count, but he couldn't guess.
Didn't think he was a prince!
"He is saluting you. You are a two-headed golden leopard just like me!" Giotto looked at Luca with a smile, completely ignoring the shocked eyes of everyone present. "As you said, you came from the storm.
.”
If Luca hadn't eaten a whole leg of lamb before, he would have passed out now.
"I'm sorry, you, oh...I mean you..."
Luka subconsciously stepped back, but was held down by a thick palm.
ah!
He almost screamed.
"Prince Luca, maybe I should call you this."
Luca turned around and saw a burly middle-aged knight saluting him. He was wearing a set of dark green leather armor with a light yellow cape hanging on the leather armor, which made the knight even more heroic.
Quite powerful.
The boy carefully observed this unfamiliar face - a high nose bridge, deep-set eye sockets, long blond hair, and an inconspicuous brown beard...
I don’t know who led it, but there was a burst of cheers in the palace hall.
"Long live Gallipoli, long live King Carl, long live Prince Giotto, long live Prince Luca..."
Long live Prince Luca? Is he also a Prince of Vallefahan?
The young man and Prince Giotto walked forward along the Hall of Mirrors surrounded by the ministers. It was so beautiful, the young man thought to himself, and the dense air was so beautiful that it took his breath away.
The rain was pouring down.
Rainwater poured down the golden dome, forming a curtain wall across the palace's colorful curtain.
Truglin hurriedly walked through the corridor, not wanting to take a look at the beautiful scenery in the rain. Frenzotis warned him that something big would happen in the near future with the fall of the Holy Grove Tower, but he ignored it...
The beams and columns on both sides of the corridor are covered with ferocious gargoyles. There are hundreds or even thousands of them. Although they are huge in number, they have different and unique expressions. No one knows when these gargoyles were carved.
, maybe there were these holy writings when the city of Vernequet was founded, or they were gifts brought from the east when Duke Emaner married Princess Lore.
"The Eastlanders love gargoyles as the Vallefarhans love smoked fish."
Trugreen stopped in front of the church. After a long time, the small window on the stone door opened, and an old woman stretched out her head and whispered softly: "He is not here, you can leave."
"O Gods, only the Grand Master can save Burna!" Truglin stepped forward and shouted excitedly: "Midsummer is approaching, and if the ghouls are reborn from the wasteland, plague and death will follow."
The old woman shook her head: "Ghouls have been extinct for a thousand years. Perhaps the Lord needs to care more about the mob than these filths."
Trugreen was unwilling to give in: "The maester said he saw filth, and only pious prayers can eliminate it..."
"Prayers can't eliminate anything. Perhaps you should hone your military skills instead of sitting in front of the church and reciting scriptures."
Trugreen was filled with anger, but luckily reason finally prevailed. He was from Florenzotis, and he warned himself in his heart. If this old guy hadn't said this, he would have asked the Guards to take it down.
She. But there is some truth in what she said. Burna is a confederate kingdom, and although the city of Vernaquet is the most powerful, it cannot make the decision in everything.
"The saint always has mercy on all living beings." Trugreen opened his lips lightly without any emotion.
"Saints sometimes need to be pitied more." The old woman's face was full of sarcasm, and she closed the stone door fiercely.
Crazy, this old man is completely crazy, even the servants of God in the church are crazy!
He turned around and left quickly, with enough anger in his chest to burn the filth in the temple.
Since Burna is a kingdom abandoned by the gods, he thought, let the gods go to hell.
Truglin has nothing else on his mind right now
If there is an afterlife, Giovanni thought, he must not become a damn royal knight.
Even if Holy Lord Sylvia hears it, she will definitely agree with him.
Flowers and flames, shields and storms, the guardians of the kingdom's dignity offer their honor, wealth and even life, and from the moment they put on their white robes, they are with the sun, moon and stars...
Giovanni and his colleagues in white robes have recited these bullshit oaths countless times. The archbishop made them swear, King Carl made them swear, and even the untouchables of Crab Island who live in the dirty corners think that they are loyal to the king.
Minions.
Hey, if one day he can duel with King Karl, he will definitely stick the spear through the belly button of the fat pig king, damn the bullshit oath!
Giovanni tightened his leather armor tightly, put on the golden face-protecting helmet, and walked towards the Little Mia Palace in frustration. He was selected to be the martial arts master of the new prince, which meant that he had to work all the time.
He grovels in front of a half-grown man and welcomes him with a smile on his face to please him. He may not be able to use a spear, or even a sword.
I heard that he is an illegitimate son. Damn the king. When he was young, he had a lot of love and wealth. But when he got old and frail, his father's love overflowed and he brought the illegitimate son into the palace. There are really more princes than crabs by the Red River these days.
Giovanni was not a fool to please his master, never would be - especially to an illegitimate son.
"Hey, Francisco, Duke of Iron Fist, I guess you are here to meet Prince Luca."
Giovanni walked up quickly and greeted Duke Iron Fist "warmly". The middle-aged man in lake blue velvet in front of him was short and stout, somewhat bald, with two deeply sunken eyes and dead fish.
There is no difference between the beads. Such appearance is far from being handsome, but he has a noble surname! These days, you only need to have a noble surname to become a duke!
"Perhaps the true God heard His Majesty's call and instructed me to be His Royal Highness's master."
Duke Iron Fist's answer was beyond Giovanni's expectation. Yes, he is the prince's martial arts master. He also needs a scribe, and who is more suitable for this position than the "knowledgeable" Lord Iron Fist?
"The true god may take a nap," Giovanni changed the topic: "But he will wake up eventually."
"Of course, maybe we can train His Royal Highness to be a qualified knight in just two years. I mean, oh, princes are all knights, right?"
Yes, all princes are knights, even bastards, Giovanni thought to himself.
"Yes, knights can only be canonized by knights, and I happen to be a knight." Giovanni spread his hands and said softly: "I just don't know what his Royal Highness's temperament is. I mean Prince Suna was accidentally shot to death on his first hunting trip.
Viscount Lumby was killed, and His Highness Maximilian’s crossbow was accidentally aimed at Countess Barbara’s butt…”
"Prince Luca has all the qualities to be a good knight."
Duke Iron Fist coughed twice: "The golden leopard has two heads, one represents bravery and the other represents humility."
"They protect justice and help the weak... Well, my Lord Duke, the oaths of these knights are clearer than yours. I have to say that if we continue to talk like this, His Highness the Prince may be unhappy!"
Giovanni stretched out his hand to invite, and Duke Iron Fist nodded and walked towards the door first.
The Palace of Asia Minor has been around for a long time, but it has regained its vitality after some rest. They walked through the flower beds and the four-eyed fountain, walking slowly under the watchful eyes of many guards.
“What a beautiful little building!”
This palace was originally built by the Duke of Norton. Later, William I the Conqueror used trebuchets and cannons to blast open the gates of Vallefahan. The Gallipoli family also successfully became a royal family and ruled this rich and prosperous East for generations.
country.
"You who are knowledgeable must know that this palace is a hunting palace. King William always stayed here for several days every autumn hunting. Some people say that he hides his beauty in the golden house here, and there is another saying, tsk tsk, he likes to enjoy it
A teenage boy…”
Giovanni enjoys the pleasure of this kind of indulgence. If indulgence is the devil, he would like to sacrifice himself to him. Palace life is too depressing, and sometimes he even feels that his life is worse than that of a whore. Yes, prostitutes sell their bodies.
, but apart from the title of Royal Guard, how much more noble is he than a prostitute?
The cramped environment makes people crazy, enough is enough, he often says to himself, enough is enough!
Asia Minor was nothing more than a temporary palace. Although it was only more than ten miles away from the royal city, a temporary palace was just a temporary palace. The environment here was much more relaxing, and the one he had to serve was just an illegitimate son.
If King Karl really liked his illegitimate son, why didn't he just take him to the palace? This illegitimate son got the title of prince but that was it.