“When I was a child at Chateau Château, I was carefree. I neither lacked the care of my parents and friends nor had material worries. However, this did not allow me to settle down. On the contrary, I developed a kind of
I have a competitive character. I play with my peers in the fields and countryside all day long. Sometimes I imagine myself as a wandering knight written by a bard, or an unknown hero wandering around doing chivalry. You play the bad guy.
I come to play the role of a good guy, who defeats the bad guys and protects innocent people... I am immersed in such a clichéd story and never tire of it."
In front of his grandfather's grave, Xino told Ringer about his childhood, and a complicated smile couldn't help but appear on his slightly thin cheek. The meaning of that smile may be nostalgia, or it may be helplessness: "But no matter it is
No matter what game I play, whether it’s racing, climbing trees, not to mention cliche hero stories, no matter I play a good guy or a bad guy, I’m always the most serious one, because even if it’s just a game, I still want to win.
Sometimes after losing, I would be so angry that I couldn't eat or sleep for several days. Looking back now, that stubborn and competitive character may have paved the way for my future life."
Ringer did not speak, but listened silently. The girl's clear and quiet voice echoed in the cemetery, occasionally mixed with the sound of the branches and leaves whistling when the wind blew through the cypress forest: "Later, my mother and father passed away one after another, and my grandfather grieved.
I fell into despair and lost the spirit of the past, so my carefree childhood passed away. The mission of the Gustave family passed down from generation to generation rested on me, the only descendant. I knew that the responsibility was arduous, and I could not help it.
If I dare to slack off, I will work harder to hone my martial arts, riding skills and various other skills. Even if I slack off for just a moment, I will feel guilty and feel that I have failed my parents’ spirit in heaven and my grandfather’s expectations.”
"In this way, with the passage of years, the competitive character deep in my bones has not disappeared, but has become more profound. Perhaps the original intention was different. When I was young, I was just stubborn and unwilling to
Only with a heart that admits defeat can one be so eager to win. It is a childish mentality; but when I grow up, I dare not let down the hard work of my grandfather and ancestors of all generations. I want to respond to those heavy trusts, so I will never allow myself to
Failure. But their essence is the same. They are both a standard set by 'Hino Jean Goldstaff' for herself. Only when she reaches this standard will she recognize her own strength and firmly believe that all the efforts she has made in the past are not
There is no point - there is no other way but victory."
Having said this, the girl turned her head and smiled at the young man, her eyes crescent like crescent moons: "It sounds heavy, doesn't it? A teenage girl has such strict requirements for herself. There is no way.
, since I enjoy all the honors that the surname Gustave has brought me, I naturally have to do my best to repay them."
Although that was not her own choice.
Ringer nodded slightly and commented: "It's a very mature idea."
He is even more mature than many adults. In the world of those so-called adults, the reciprocal relationship between request and reward has always been ridiculed. Instead, getting something for nothing and betrayal are regarded as the supreme norms, as if only these ugly ideas constitute the rules of society.
"Actually, I didn't think about it that much at the beginning, but there will always be many major changes in a person's life, causing him to change. I just did it earlier than others."
Xino laughed casually and continued: "Practice martial arts, exercise riding skills, acquire knowledge, and even interact with people... Time just passed by quietly in the endless trivial matters. At a certain moment, I looked back
When I walked down the road I had traveled, I realized that I had not experienced the feeling of failure for a long time. At that time, I seemed to have grasped the essence of victory. As long as I tried my best to do something, for example, treat it as a victory.
Viewed as a battle involving honor and life and death, then, no matter who the enemy is, no matter how difficult it is, or even whether my own strength is sufficient, the one who wins in the end must be me."
She raised her head and stared at Lin Ge unblinkingly with her bright wine-red eyes, which reflected the young man's dazed expression, and said word by word: "This is the seventh one you want."
By the power of kingship, Mr. Ringo—I will bring you victory, beyond doubt."
As long as you fight, you will win, and you can even ignore the conditions for victory itself and the gap in strength between the two sides, and ignore the possible defeats in the millions of timelines, turning it into a destined fate.
Does such a magical power really exist?
Ling Ge let out a breath. Before today, if someone had said such a thing, Ling Ge would have thought it was a madman's wishful thinking. However, after witnessing Xino's battle, he couldn't help but believe it because of that kind of power.
It is indeed unreasonable. For Xino, fighting is never about challenging an unknown chess game, but about completing a script with a predetermined ending. No matter what the beginning and the process are, as long as the ending is destined to win, then she can only win.
This is the way to go.
No wonder the witch associations are so afraid of the "Master Knight", even more than they value the other six saints. If used properly, the Master Knight alone can have the power to fight against the seven witches.
However.
"What's the price?" Ringer stared deeply into Xino's eyes, as if to see through everything she concealed: "As I mentioned to you before, every young queen bears the curse from the witch, and since they
They value you so much, and your royal power is indeed worthy of their attention, so the curse you bear should be more serious than other girls' royal powers, right?"
This chapter is not over, please click on the next page to continue reading! "..."
In the darkening night, the shadows of the cypress trees were like airtight walls, cutting off the howling of the wind and the chirping of the birds. The corners of Xino's mouth seemed to twitch, but they soon returned to calm. She did not answer directly.
Ringer's question was to retract his gaze, fall back on the tombstone belonging to a close relative in front of him, and said lightly: "Is it the price? It's actually very simple - what is the price of victory? The price I need to pay for this is
What is it? Mr. Ringer, as smart as you are, you should have guessed it."
Ringer also set his sights on the tombstone. The pure white monument was engraved with the epitaph belonging to Vandru Jean Goldstaff: "We are born to live in response to the expectations of others."
The young man's pupils suddenly shrank, and he slowly uttered two words from his mouth: "..."
…
In the living room of the mansion, the fire quietly lit up with a sad look. Saint Xalia sat on the soft sofa, looking up at the sky outside the window from time to time. The already sunny sky became dim again, but it was not because of the weather, but because of the weather.
As dusk approaches, night begins to invade this ancient manor, retrieving the long memories they have retained here for countless centuries.
The street lights next to the avenue shed a dim light, as if there was mist, which blurred the vision in the eyes. Under the tung cypress trees with a hazy smoke, a figure of a famous knight could be vaguely seen walking past in a hurry. Their expressions were all serious, their arms
A black gauze scarf was tied on it, using this deep color that represents death and the end to pay homage to the deceased old man.
All of this happened so suddenly that Saint Xalia had not yet reacted. She had just heard the good news from Lin Ge half an hour ago, and knew that Xino had successfully killed the monster.
No surprises; but when they returned to the manor, the knights serving the Goldstaff family told these guests from afar that the old head of the family had passed away. After the funeral, Hino Jean Goldstaff would become the new head of the family and would still lead the family.
The Whitethorn family protects the people of Grangenia.
Regarding the cause of death of the old family master, the knights were vague. Saint Xalia could tell that they did not intend to hide it. I am afraid that they themselves were also confused and couldn't figure out what was going on.
"Are you worried about Xino, Saint Xalia?" A voice suddenly came from the side.
Saint Xalia looked back and realized that Alice had walked over at some point. She sat down without waiting for the girl to answer, unceremoniously occupying the remaining space on the sofa, and raised her head to stare at the ceiling.
chandelier, he said carelessly: "I can understand your mood, after all, this happened too suddenly. The old man seemed fine, how could he just leave like this -"
She paused, and then sighed in a rare way. For the first time, a troubled look appeared on her face, which had always been optimistic and cheerful: "What can we do? Xinuo has become the head of the Gustave family, will he still be willing to do so?"
Will you come with us? There are many people here who are counting on her to support the overall situation. But if she doesn't go with us, what will happen to the fate of mankind and the world? Should we allow the witch association to continue to run rampant? "
After much thought, she still couldn't find a way to get the best of both worlds. Not only did she sigh, but she looked worried about the country and the people.
After hearing her words, Saint Xalia not only pursed her lips, but also pursed her cherry-pink lips tightly, then opened them again, and said softly: "That's not what I'm worried about, Alice."
"Oh? What is that?"
"Xino, she just lost her only relative in the world." Saint Xia Liya lowered her head slightly, and her expression was obviously hesitant where Alice could not see: "At this time, if we still say to her
Don’t you think it’s cruel to force her to give up her family and hometown and come with us because of her mission as a young lady?”
"Well."
Alice has never considered this kind of thing. In a sense, she is actually a person who lacks empathy. In other words, she is more accustomed to looking at the world from a player's perspective. She only values those things that are deeply related to the main mission.
, a character with a lot of plots, but doesn’t care about the passing passers-by in the background story, such as the vampire Fialli who died under her sword, or the swamp aliens who died wailing in the fire, and Xi
No's grandfather.
There is a profound sense of strangeness that separates her from the world. Only a few people are real, and the others are just backgrounds. However, the world is an organically connected whole, and the few people she values are actually related to her.
If we still treat them differently, how can we possibly experience the same feeling of being connected with other people who are regarded as the background?
Saint Xalia knew Alice's shortcomings in this area, so the words she just said didn't mean any complaint, but simply expressed her worries. But Alice still didn't seem to react, and after a moment of hesitation, she said: "
Probably not? Didn't you hear those knights say that Xino never cried once? It shows that he is still very strong."
Saint Shalia took a deep look at her and said, "Tears don't mean anything, Alice. Sometimes people who shed tears don't mean they are weak, and people who hold back tears don't mean they are strong.
"
"I see." Alice scratched her cheek, thoughtfully: "You want to say that Xino is a girl who is strong on the outside but fragile on the inside, so she will show a strong appearance in front of us, but in private no one
Will you secretly shed tears when you see it?"
Saint Xia Liya shook her head gently: "I believe that Xino will not shed tears in private. She is not that kind of person."
"Then I don't understand what you mean."
Alice leaned back and sank into the soft sofa, murmuring to herself: "It's so complicated. I don't want to know at all. I just want to know whether Xino is willing to follow us. Damn it, why does she
I only saw Linge, but he didn't want to see me? Linge has a paralyzed face and a sharp tongue. If he offends Xino, wouldn't my main mission be stuck here?"
When she thought of this possibility, she became a little flustered. She curled up into a ball and rolled over on the sofa, like an awkward caterpillar.
Saint Xalia ignored her and looked through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows to the sky outside the window again. While the two were chatting, night came quietly, shrouding the manor in a layer of quiet black gauze.
Lights were lit everywhere, and the dim and flickering firelight shone on the mansion and gardens. Only in the direction where Ringer left, the cemetery of the Gustave family was still dark, and the night there was even darker.
Staring at this scenery, the shepherd girl somehow suddenly remembered what Xino said in her mind -
"I'm afraid of death." At that time, her eyes were clear and calm, but there was also an indelible regret: "I'm especially afraid of the feeling that someone will die in front of me and I can't do anything about it."
"For me, that was the most painful."
…
The wall of silence was broken, and a night crow suddenly sounded in the middle of the night. It was shrill and harsh, overpowering the sound of the wind and the chirping of other birds, giving people a creepy feeling.
The girl turned back and smiled at the young man: "That's right, Mr. Ringer."