Aleph raised his head and looked at his father. In his eyes, the King of Sand was thin and serious. The hands exposed outside the robe were only skin and bones, and the veins under the skin were exposed, like a shadow sitting on the throne.
But only one pair of eyes burned with blazing flames, showing a breathtaking majesty.
He has long passed the age of vigorous energy, but his mind is still as shrewd as a young man, just as it was more than ten years ago. At least in Aleph's opinion, no one should dare to look at this man - his father.
What kind of tricks are played in front of the king? Even his son often feels a little uneasy under this kind of pressure.
But today, Babartan's tone was very gentle, just like an ordinary old man: "Have you seen Burrard recently?"
Aleph nodded.
There was a low buzz around, and people couldn't help but wonder what the Sand King's slow attitude towards his eldest son meant? Everyone was secretly suspecting the deeper meaning of this change in attitude. The courtiers looked at Al
The husband's gaze was profound for a moment, and even his brothers looked over with a hint of envy.
But Aleph didn't even dare to take a breath. Afifah often said that he should inherit the throne, or her sister, and his feelings for this throne were very special. It could not be said to be a desire or a resistance. In comparison, it was more
What made him nervous was how he should get along with his father, who was a king.
Barbartan obviously knew the nature of his son very well.
He cherished his words like gold and stopped talking. He only looked over his eldest son's shoulder. Outside the palace, the host was raising a beam of starlight from the bonfire. The bright brilliance reached the sky and the earth, as if there was really a shining star.
The shining stars are rising from the darkness. He still remembers the shocking scene when he participated in the Star Ceremony for the first time as a child. At that time, his father told him that only those with higher status can receive the holy fire in the front position.
blessing of.
At that time, he secretly swore in his heart that one day he would be at the front to be received by the King of Sand and be blessed by the radiance of the Holy Fire. At that time, the Penelope family was just a small family.
An inconspicuous sideline. Later, his wishes came true one by one, and he didn't even need to be received by the King of Sand anymore, because he became the King of Sand himself.
But the vision of the past gradually faded away and became a less important goal. He wanted to achieve more and more goals, but also fewer and fewer. After taking over the throne from his father, his former enemies also became
After a long absence, the only thing left in the memory was an encounter.
"Babartan, I will protect this land with you in the future."
"I have a secret that I want to tell you."
After the many illusions in front of me disappeared, I returned to this familiar and unfamiliar palace again.
Babartan looked at the young man in front of him who was somewhat similar to himself in the past, and sighed: "Aleph, do you still remember what happened to Albert?"
Aleph immediately remembered his brother who died from the epidemic. It was a great plague ten years ago, which followed the war - war will bring plague, this is Aita
What is well-known in Leia is that the plague swept from Nognis and even spread to the south of Corin-Ithurion. Naturally, Istania was not immune.
The survival rate of Istanian infants in this era was extremely low, and they would always die from various strange and sudden illnesses. Even if there were stars, the survival rate was only 50%. Of course, if Ale
The husband knows the history of another world, and may be grateful for this, because compared to the other world at almost the same era, Aitalia is already much luckier.
His younger brother was actually not much younger than him, and he was already considered a 'grown-up', but unfortunately he still died in the plague. He was already nine years old at the time and already knew about the incident, so he naturally had a deep memory of this incident.
.
What made Aleph a little confused was that his father had many heirs, and even more of them did not survive to adulthood. He rarely mentioned these things on weekdays, so why did he mention Albert alone today? He couldn't help but
When he raised his head, he saw his father looking directly at him. He was startled and quickly lowered his head.
"In the blink of an eye, another ten years have passed."
"Thirteen years ago, I was ordered to go on an expedition. I didn't even expect to come back from Nognis alive, but in the end we defeated the empire together with the Kaolin people."
The King of Sand seemed to be narrating something or talking to himself. "Aleph, sometimes it is important to get to know the right people. I made some friends during that war, such as those from the north.
That prince, and some of the Holy Chosen Ones. They helped me a lot, and your grandfather did the same?"
The man on the throne was recalling the past, and the hall became a little quieter. However, the expressions of the old ministers and the new nobles were slightly different. The old people who had experienced the war thirteen years ago all showed memories of the tragedy of that war.
It is recorded in the document today that only one out of ten people who participated in that war came back, and those who stayed were considered lucky.
The upstarts who have risen in the past ten years have slightly subtle expressions on their faces. In such an occasion, they naturally feel a little embarrassed.
However, no one would fail to understand the atmosphere at this time and say something inappropriate.
So for a while the only voice of Babartan was left in the hall.
Aleph lowered his head slightly, feeling anxious and uneasy in his heart. He always felt that his father's words meant something.
"After the war, epidemics followed one after another."
"But thanks to the Holy Chosen One, this epidemic was quickly extinguished."
"That day when I saw the Sufang tree that I had planted, I was shocked to realize that so much time had passed."
The King of Sand looked at his eldest son and suddenly asked: "Aleph, I heard that you recently made a friend?"
Aleph was shocked and involuntarily raised his head again. He didn't expect that his father even knew this?
But Babartan said: "I also overheard people talking about this matter."
He turned around and his eyes fell on a courtier in the hall. Next to the solemn-looking middle-aged man, stood a pretty little girl with soft blond hair, tilting her head and looking in this direction. Facing him.
The middle-aged man only nodded slightly at the King of Sand's gaze.
…
Fang Plover disposed of the robe and headscarf he used for infiltration, changed his clothes again, and walked around the library again. When he returned to the square, the celebration and carnival in the open space had already begun for a while.
He returned to the crowd and saw that no one around him noticed him. He couldn't help but breathed a sigh of relief - tonight's operation went more smoothly than expected. Not only did he successfully achieve his goal, he met the eldest princess and completed the commission.
Not to mention, and he hasn't gotten into any trouble yet, everything went so smoothly that he couldn't even believe it.
Not long ago, Sophie said that he had a constitution that caused trouble. Although he denied it verbally, Fang Pultru sometimes had doubts. Did the little princess of Silver Veslan unintentionally point out the truth? After all, from Dolifen
When I go to Idos, and then here again, there seems to be no time when I don't get into trouble.
Moreover, small troubles will turn into big troubles, and big troubles will turn into huge troubles. In the end, they will even be related to things like the coming of the misfortune star and the war of the gods. It seems that every move of his will bring about Atali's death.
The ending of subdirector destruction is the same. This idea is a bit absurd, but sometimes when he thinks about it carefully, he will be shocked.
But fortunately, it doesn't seem to be the case. At least once, he didn't get into any trouble, and he didn't cause any foreign disputes as expected. In short, not only did things not go into the worst direction, but they even went incredibly smoothly. Fang Yu couldn't help but
After reflecting for a moment, have I been too careless in the past?
If I had been so careful every time and planned in advance, maybe I wouldn't have gotten into so much trouble?
Fang Plover raised his head and looked at the brilliance rising above the bonfire.
That is the Istanian Star Rite.
This shows that the celebration has reached the middle stage. In the middle of the carnival, the crowd will gather around the bonfire to enjoy the performances of the palace entertainers, enjoy delicious food, and drink happily. At this time, the celebrant will use magic to raise stars from the bonfire.
, that bright light not only symbolizes the starlight of all living things, but also is the sacred flame of Andromeda, the master of the world of life and death.
Those who are illuminated by the stars are blessed by Andromeda, and everything will go smoothly in the coming year. Of course, this is just a good wish, but history has become a tradition, and tradition has penetrated into every desert.
In the hearts of the people, it is called a sacred culture.
This is also the most important social moment of the year for the nobles of Questaq. The people of the desert are not as closed-minded and conservative as Corin-Ithurion. Young men and women often find their other side at such a celebration.
Half. I heard that there was a beautiful legend in Istania's past. This is how the current King of Sand met the biological mother of His Royal Highness the Princess, who was also Babartan's first lover.
As a young man, Fang Yu was naturally favored by many enthusiastic girls on such occasions. Of course, this was also because his alchemist robe and the gold star on his collar were quite eye-catching.
"Mr. Alchemist, would you like to dance with me?"
"Mr. Alchemist, do you want to exchange bracelets with me?"
"Which family does Mr. Alchemist come from?"
The noble girls of Istania are passionate and unrestrained, with bold and direct expressions in their eyes.
However, they were also very straightforward, and of course they were not really ignorant girls. When they heard that Fang Yu was just a commoner and a Holy Chosen One, they all said goodbye in a tactful tone and left.
For a moment, Fang Plover was a bit dumbfounded.
Although what he was thinking about at this time was only Sylvide - at most there was a fleeting silver-haired girl, but it soon faded from his heart. However, these desert people
The frankness of the aristocratic girls still left him speechless.
Of course, he also knew that the annual social ceremony of Questac, especially in this square, was certainly not a simple matter. These girls who came from aristocratic families had received such education since they were young. They came to this
Naturally, places have their own ideal goals.
As for appearance, talent and other things, they are not the most important, family background is.
Moreover, they will not make unrealistic and high-achieving dreams. Everyone is terrifyingly practical. Their goals that are well matched have probably been circled in their hearts before the celebration begins.
Fang Plover sighed. Perhaps for the Istanians, this celebration was more pure than the one on the square outside the palace. If it weren't for Aleph's face and the fact that he wanted to see the big brother,
Because of the princess, he himself might be willing to go there instead of staying here.
After the girls left one by one, the surroundings finally became peaceful.
The melodious sound of music came from the distance, and the Star Ceremony had already been held in the second half. The starlight gradually rose to the highest point of the night sky. When it reached the top of the palace, it would explode like a bouquet of fireworks,
The bright light shines on the entire Questac. At that moment, the celebration will reach its climax.
Fang Yu planned to leave until then. When the celebration reached its climax and the blessings of the stars were sprinkled on the whole city, leaving this palace of sand sounded very romantic, didn't it?
Unfortunately, things turned out differently.
Because before that, he met Aleph.
His Royal Highness the Prince found him in a hurry, without his usual demeanor at all, and even said out of breath: "Ed, my father wants to see you."
Fang Plover was immediately stunned.
He looked at Aleph, originally thinking that His Highness the Prince would show up later, at least after the Sand King and his entourage on the high platform left. The reason why he originally planned to leave here early was precisely
Because he didn't want to have this face-to-face encounter with the other party, of course it wasn't that he meant to avoid His Highness the Prince, but that he really didn't want to cause any more trouble in this place that night.
But he didn't expect that things would come to him anyway, and it would happen so suddenly.
This prince even found him in a hurry before the Star Ceremony was completed, and told him as soon as he opened his mouth that the King of Sand wanted to see him?
Fang Yu almost doubted that he was born in life. Could it be that he was the protagonist in the legend, and everything would come to him? Because even if he thought about it all, he couldn't think of the reason why Babartan wanted to see him.
The King of Sand has never met, and there is no relationship between the two.
Okay, maybe it has something to do with it...
But the other party may not know it either.
"The King of Sand wants to see me?" Fang Yu almost thought that the other party was joking with him, pointed at himself and said in confusion.
"Don't worry, my father just knows the relationship between the tower magic furnace and you, and wants to meet such a young alchemist like you."
Aleph calmed down his breathing, and looked much more relaxed than before. He even laughed. This was the first time that Fang Plover saw the prince laugh these days. Fang Plover could not help but secretly guess that it seemed that the other party's gift was
He should be quite liked by the King of Sand.
So, is this the reason why I was able to meet this king?
He couldn't help but be a little speechless.
If I had known earlier, I shouldn't have acted like this.
But he seemed to have forgotten that if he didn't pretend to be this cool, he wouldn't be able to come to this place, let alone meet Her Royal Highness the Princess.
"Well," Fang Plover doesn't want to be in the limelight the most right now. After all, he has done a lot of things in Bein, and theoretically, he is on the opposite side of the Sand King - although the Sand King may not know it.
, but Fang Yu still couldn't help but feel guilty, after all, he had just met the princess not long ago.
He hesitated again and again, and finally couldn't help but ask: "Can I refuse?"
Aleph couldn't help but laugh.
"Don't be ridiculous, Ed," he shook his head: "Give me a face, if you refuse, I will be in trouble."
Fang Plover couldn't help but be speechless.
He really wanted to say, if you are not unlucky, I might be unlucky - although it is only a possibility. But looking at Aleph like this, he really can't say no to him. He doesn't care these days.
He helped him a lot and truly regarded him as a friend and brother.
But now it's just a meeting with the King of Sand. In the eyes of many people, this may be a privilege. If I refuse, what reason should I give? Of course, I can't say the general excuse. What's the stomachache?
It's better not to insult your IQ as early as possible, but to speak frankly?
Fang Yu felt that he might as well go and see the King of Sand.
The other party didn't seem to give him the chance to refuse. He grabbed his arm and walked forward, saying: "Don't be so nervous, my brother, my father is very easy to talk to."
Aleph said something casually. This was the first time he had lied since he was a child. He couldn't help but blush slightly, but he couldn't care so much for a while. Fortunately, he was facing the other direction, and Fang Plover also looked at it.
Not even - and as for whether his father is easy to talk to, Aleph himself doesn’t believe such nonsense anyway. He probably felt guilty and added: "It will always be of some benefit to you to meet him, but my father is not
You are a stingy person. If you repair the tower magic furnace, he will always give you some reward——"
"perhaps……"
"perhaps?"
"Maybe."
"Maybe?"
"I mean, it's probably because of this that my father wants to see you," Aleph coughed. "After all, I can't think of any other reason why he wants to see you..."
"Wait a minute, so you're not sure?"
"Of course... somewhat certain," Aleph said with great embarrassment: "Maybe it's because you are too young. After all, such a young alchemist should be rare in Istania."
Facing the other party's ambiguous statement, Fang Yu became suspicious. He increasingly felt that this so-called interview was not so reliable.
"Wait a minute, Aleph, I suddenly thought of something that I haven't done yet... I really have to go back."
