There was a low muffled sound, much like the sound of a sandbag falling to the ground.
But Thales' heart trembled, as if a blunt hammer was hitting his heart!
This is...the battle of extreme masters?
Quiet and simple.
There is not a trace of wasted energy, not a trace of superfluous movement.
Thales saw the crowd whispering.
Many soldiers pointed at the two men.
"Oh, no—how many times?"
"Do they have to tear each other alive before the attack from the north comes?"
The two commanders faced each other tit for tat, standing on the same spot and pressing each other's fists without giving in.
Sonia's eyes were cold, while Araka had a fierce look on his face.
The soldiers behind the two men all reacted.
"Qiang!"
The veterans behind Sonia drew their swords fiercely and surrounded the commander in an orderly manner.
"Boom!"
The sword and shield soldiers around Alaka had serious faces and took a step forward in order. Their swords and shields formed a wall to protect Alaka's flanks.
The two groups were full of murderous intent, glaring at each other angrily.
The confusion in the crowd deepened:
"Oh my god, the Star Guards and the Fury Guards are here at the same time..."
"Didn't the officers on duty deliberately stagger their duty hours?"
"Is someone going to die this time?"
"I have a bad feeling."
However, when almost everyone watched the conflict between the two commanders with mixed emotions.
"stop!"
Thales frowned and took a step forward.
Everyone turned their heads and looked at His Highness the Prince, who had an ugly face.
Thales looked around.
What exactly is going on?
Sonia and Araka…
He sighed.
"This is what I want to say." Putilai whispered from behind: "Only you can come forward, little prince."
Thales shook his head.
"Stand back, soldiers," he shouted to the tense two groups:
"For the sake of fellow Star people, put away your weapons."
But no one paid any attention to him.
Both Sonia and Araka heard his words, but the two people with unhappy expressions seemed to be more interested in each other.
The subordinates behind them—from what the crowd said, they seemed to be the Star Guards and the Fury Guards—also did not look sideways, but stood loyally and attentively behind their commanders.
His Royal Highness was left in the middle of the field, ignored by no one.
Putilai closed his eyes and shook his head helplessly.
The onlookers began to whisper louder and pointed at Thales.
Many people had laughter and contempt in their eyes.
This child is their new prince?
Thales only felt embarrassed.
Very embarrassing!
Um, what should I do?
Rush up and pull them apart?
However.
Sonia was extremely annoyed, but Alaka seemed to ignore him at all?
You have to find something to make them care about.
His brain works quickly.
The conversation between the two just came to mind.
Thales's heart moved, and he took a deep breath.
The traveler heard his immature childish voice: "I am Thales Shining Star, the second prince of the Star Kingdom."
Thales raised his right hand towards the two groups of people and pointed to the north.
"Maybe someone knows - for the peace of the Star Kingdom, and for the lives of everyone in the fortress."
"I will soon be heading north to Exeter to pay for their prince's life."
There was an uproar among the soldiers watching.
Broken Dragon Fortress is not an isolated place, news of the national conference has already reached here.
Many people looked at Thales with many different meanings, including pity, unwillingness, anger, and sighs.
But Sonia and Alaka's eyes were still locked on each other.
Thales adjusted his breathing, tried to appear as casual as possible, and approached the area where they were confronting.
"As for the two officers and your subordinates, before you dig out each other's hearts," Thales spread his hands and showed a helpless smile: "To a Prince of Bright Star who is about to die..."
"At least give it some due respect?"
"Like starting the fight after I go to die?"
The surrounding soldiers whispered louder to each other.
Putilai nodded slightly.
Sonia and Alaka noticed that each other's eyebrows wrinkled slightly.
But Thales immediately changed the subject and snorted sarcastically:
"Oh, of course, maybe you are used to it," Thales turned around, looked at the soldiers around him, and easily put his hand into his pocket.
He was about to take out the nine-pointed star badge pin of the Bright Star Royal Family and show it to everyone.
Thales' next sentence relied on his last name.
But he didn't touch the nine-pointed star pin.
The only thing in his pocket was the fang bracelet - a token of the Corleone family that the Queen of Night gave him when she parted.
Thales' smile froze for a tenth of a second.
Damn Cortrina...
She didn't give me back the nine-pointed star pin!
But the time traveler immediately smiled with lightning speed.
He turned his "pocket empty" confusion into a "pocket-in-pocket-taking-photo" pose, and turned around in a circle.
Thales turned back to the two people confronting each other and laughed sarcastically:
"After all, this is not the first time that you two have looked at a shining star..."
"Died in front of me..."
The words just fell.
The two people who were facing each other were breathing faster.
Sonia was shocked all over.
Alaka's face struggled.
The past came to both of them.
The voices of the soldiers watching became louder and louder:
"so?"
"Yes, you heard about it too, right? Both of them are..."
"Oh, it's all that kind of experience, why bother..."
One, two, three... Thales counted the seconds in his heart.
Please, give me some face!
His embarrassment came back again.
Finally, the two commanders snorted coldly and suddenly let go of each other.
The guards on both sides sheathed their swords one after another, but they still looked at each other with ugly expressions.
Thales breathed a sigh of relief.
Putilai, who was on one side, showed a hateful smile and winked at him.
Gilbert would never be so disrespectful.
Thales returned an angry look.
But he knew that the matter was not resolved yet.
"Very good, let's... let's settle the matter at hand first?" Thales rubbed his hands with a smile and pointed at Willow Ken, who was confused.
Alaka snorted impatiently: "Do you want to come and judge in person, little prince?"
"Why, do you have any objections?" Sonia snorted: "As His Highness, he is the most suitable here."
Thales sighed.
No.
This is not just a trial.
It may also be the friction and discord between the two commanders.
And - he looked at Willow, who was begging for help - it was about a person's life and death.
He raised his head and looked at the officer in charge of the hanging:
"Can anyone prove what he said? The people he rescued?"
The officer in charge seemed to have not spoken to anyone from the royal family. He took a step back in flattery and then shook his head: "Not one...so we all suspected he was lying."
Thales frowned.
Not good.
"If you want to confirm whether he is a deserter... please bring up his weapon."
The officer nodded nervously.
Soon, under the eyes of everyone, a pair of equal-length wooden sticks, which were much shorter than the spears, were brought up - there were still dried blood stains on these damaged wooden sticks, and only an iron wrapping could be seen on one side.
The pointed tip.
On the surface, it does look like a broken spear.
However... Thales looked at the black-haired young man:
"Can you use... dual guns?"
Willow nodded sharply: "I, I can!"
"Another lie," the officer shook his head and said, "No soldier has ever received such training, let alone a fisherman!"
Thales took a deep breath.
He looked at the soldiers with burning eyes around him, at Sonia's hopeful eyes, Alaka's compelling eyes, and Putilai's complicated expression.
"If he can use two guns skillfully..." Thales said thoughtfully:
But Alaka snorted at this moment and interrupted him.
"Deserter or not, he disobeyed orders and ran back on the battlefield. There is no doubt about it," the strong man said to the prince with mockery:
"What? If he can use two guns, are you going to use the privilege of Bright Star to declare him innocent?"
"Your Highness, the Second Prince?"
Thales was stunned.
Disobeying the order?
Oops.
"Then you want to execute him directly?" Sonia said tit for tat, saying coldly: "If he is innocent..."
"No one cares about you on the battlefield, so you are innocent!" Alaka interrupted her harshly:
"Whether it's to escape or save someone, if you disobey an order, you have to pay the price."
Sonia's words suddenly stopped.
She could only turn her head and look at Thales hesitantly: "I respect your decision, Your Highness."
"Go on," Alaka looked at Thales and said disdainfully: "Pardon him, and then see if he will disobey the order next time - maybe then, he will not only kill himself."
Willow's face suddenly turned pale, and he was sweating profusely. His eyes kept going back and forth between Araka and Thales.
Thales frowned.
Trouble.
Alaka, Sonia, Putilai, and the surrounding soldiers, including Willow, all focused on him.
what to do?
Hang him.
What would Sonia and the surrounding soldiers think?
Forgive him.
Arak, what should I do if there are military orders and regulations?
Or simply choose another punishment.
No, it's inappropriate...it's disgusting.
Gilbert never taught this...
etc.
Gilbert?
Thales pondered.
He has made a decision.
"Willow Ken."
"I'm not sure whether you're a deserter," the time traveler walked up to Willow and said to him, "Therefore, I can't convict you or hang you."
Willow breathed a sigh of relief.
"Look, this is where the war starts to be lost..." Araka snorted lightly as expected, and received a glare from Sonia as expected.
Some of the soldiers who agreed with Alaka began to shake their heads.
But Thales' next words made Willow nervous again.
"But if you really violated the order," Thales shook his head and said, "then I can't acquit you."
"I cannot pass down a verdict."
The whole place was silent for a moment.
Then everyone was in an uproar.
Sonia frowned fiercely: What does this mean?
"Ha, guilty or innocent?" Alakka chuckled:
"So what are you going to do, my prince? How about shortening the noose in half?"
Thales' face was expressionless.
He gently raised his hand and clenched his fist.
Let the whole place be quiet.
"But you said it, Willow," Thales said softly: "You retreated to save your companions."
Willow raised his eyes and looked at the second prince tremblingly.
"Whether you actually do it or not - the spirit is noble."
Thales's voice echoed in the narrow crowd:
"So, I can't hang you."
Willow was shocked and looked at the prince in disbelief.
Just listen to Thales continue:
"It's not about the innocence of your actions."
"But I can't let others hesitate to save their comrades because they are afraid of your fate - this is not something that should be hesitated."
Thales said calmly.
Everyone in the audience looked at Thales with different eyes.
Sonia's face showed joy, while Alaka frowned deeply.
Only Putilai's eyes were complex and profound.
"but!"
Thales looked serious and said sternly:
"This does not mean that you are innocent or that you do not have to pay the price for disobeying the order."
"Willow Ken!"
Willow's breathing began to quicken.
"In the next battle, you must save the lives of more than ten comrades," Thales said seriously:
"As a price for not being hanged today, this is the only way to absolve you of the crime of disobeying the order and clear your suspicion of desertion."
"Ten!"
Under everyone's gaze, Thales drew out his jc dagger, walked behind Willow expressionlessly, and pointed the blade at the rope that bound his hands.
Thales took a deep breath and cut hard with his hands.
one time……
Two times...
three……
Eh?
Thales found out awkwardly that his hand strength was a bit weak.
At this rate, it may take more than ten seconds to cut the rope.
He felt the eyes of the people around him.
This, this, this...
It ruins the atmosphere!
At this moment, that familiar wave surged into Thales's hands.
As if his blood speeded up instantly, the muscles in his right hand trembled, and a force much greater than usual burst out!
"laugh!"
The rope on Willow's hand was cut instantly.
Thales withdrew the dagger and forced himself not to look at the bloody wound on the back of Willow's hand that he accidentally made - cough cough.
"So, I used your future behavior in exchange for your life and freedom at this moment."
"Do you understand, Willow Ken?"
He looked solemnly at Willow, who had regained his freedom.
Willow gasped, kneeling on the ground and looking at Thales.
He opened his trembling lips.
"yes……"
"Yes... His Highness Thales!" He shouted excitedly:
"Save ten people! I remember!"
"There is one more request." Thales said calmly.
Willow was stunned.
Thales suddenly showed a smile that he had not seen for a long time and said: "Go and change your guns - they are so worn that they can't even kill the fish in the river."
Willow Ken took three breaths.
Then, he showed a smile that escaped disaster and nodded desperately: "I, I will obey your order!"
Thales turned his head and looked around.
Sonia laughed and looked at him with relief.
"Very appropriate, Your Highness."
The Flower of the Fortress came over unceremoniously, and hugged Thales with his ugly face!
I don’t know who started first, but the soldiers around me applauded one after another!
"Pa bang bang..."
Some even started cheering.
Others were shouting: "Our prince!"
Sonia laughed, put the earth-colored Thales on her shoulders, and rubbed his head vigorously: "A qualified shining star!"
"Cunning brat." Araka looked at Thales coldly, muttered, waved his hand, and left with his subordinates amidst the applause of the audience.
Only Ada, with a puzzled look on her face, asked Putilai, who was deep in thought: "What did he just do?"
——————
When Thales, who was already weak and even more dizzy after being shaken twice by Sonia, was put down, he could only pull on Putilai's robe weakly and retching.
Under the leadership of several soldiers, Putilai walked with him to the barracks prepared for the prince, followed by Ada, whose face was once again cold and pale.
Thales sighed: "I thought the trouble would come after we arrived at Exeter."
But Putilai did not answer his words.
"Your Highness," Putilai said silently, not noticing that he used the honorific:
"How did you come up with that method?"
Thales was stunned: Huh?
"Instead of killing that soldier for the time being, let him contribute himself in the future?" Putilai said as he walked.
"Well, this is an idea," Thales rubbed his cold red hands and let out a breath of heat: "In fact, Gilbert told me, and it has something to do with my uncle, Midir Bright Star."
Putilai's expression changed and his brows furrowed.
"Gilbert said that he once messed up a diplomatic mission because he failed to cooperate with his colleagues," Thales recalled, not paying attention to Putilai's face: "But His Highness Midier did not punish him, but let him
He owes a 'debt' to the stars, and will make up for it with many times his achievements in the future."
Putilai frowned tightly, while Thales raised his eyebrows:
"There is also a saying in the Far East that 'use merit to make up for sins' - but that is limited to important people. Low-level soldiers like Willow cannot say this directly, so they have to use the reason of saving their comrades to convince others."
"But this is not a good idea after all," Thales spread his hands: "Think about it, if all the deserters came back and said: I did it to save my comrades..."
"So, you are imitating His Highness Midir?" Putilai did not listen to his words, but said slowly: "Gilbert probably hopes that you will become the next Midir."
Thales was startled.
"Well," he scratched his head: "This incident probably affected Gilbert deeply."
"Ah, yes," Putilai sighed thoughtfully: "Gilbert later did save the entire star during the negotiation of the "Fortress Peace Treaty" and made up for his sin of turning against the City of Steel - otherwise
, according to the laws at the time, this incident was enough to send him to prison."
Thales turned his head curiously: "Oh, Putilai... you also know about this?"
"Of course, Your Highness," Putilai seemed to have gotten used to calling His Highness, and he said calmly: "Gilbert did not mess up that incident because he was not able to cooperate with his colleagues."
Thales opened his eyes wide.
"Gilbert was just a descendant of a declining noble. He first came to the Foreign Affairs Department as an aide to the prince. He was ostracized by his colleagues and even deliberately framed, which is why he ended up in that situation." Putilai sighed.
"Ah?" Thales asked in surprise, "Really?"
Putilai nodded slowly: "That's why he later devoted himself wholeheartedly to the stars... He believed that this was a debt he owed to Midir and the stars."
"Everyone has his own life journey, and encounters are unpredictable." Thales sighed and shrugged casually: "Did he tell you this?"
"No, he didn't," Putilai said with deep eyes and a touch of sadness and regret in his words:
"But I know more than he does."
Thales raised his head.
Putilai took a deep breath and spoke slowly:
"because……"
"I was the person who excluded and framed him in the Foreign Affairs Department back then."
Thales was stunned.
so awkward.
"Well, this," he said awkwardly, "Maybe if you hadn't done that back then, Gilbert wouldn't have become such an outstanding diplomat and political officer now."
"Yeah, maybe," Putilai said bitterly: "Xingchen is very lucky to have someone as outstanding and selfless as him..."
"No!"
A familiar voice came from behind.
He seemed to be holding back his anger.
Thales and Putilai turned their heads in surprise.
The second prince's attendant, Wyatt Castle, was seen looking at them with an unwavering expression.
"Waiya..." Thales said strangely.
Is he...angry?
"Your Highness!" Huaiya seemed to be trying his best to control his emotions. He took two deep breaths before returning to his normal expression and said slowly: "Jorah...Jorah is about to die."
Thales's expression suddenly changed.
——————
Jorah, the leader of the private soldiers of the Bright Star family, was lying on the bed in the barracks with a pale face.
"I...I have a sister," Jorah said with unfocused eyes and confusion: "In the royal capital, in the royal capital..."
"Your Highness," the bandaged Wyatt Castle said with regret: "The vampires injured him too badly..."
Thales let out a long sigh: "Is there no other way?"
"We have searched all over the military doctors in the fortress." Huaiya shook his head, with a sad expression on his face: "But they are just military doctors, I'm afraid they don't have such good medical skills..."
Thales frowned: "Are there any other doctors?"
Putilai frowned: "Hanbao is the closest, and there is a doctor. But... I'm afraid it's too late."
"Besides, the Exeters have cleared out...all in all, the roads are very unsafe."
"Accept the reality," Ada sighed under the cloak: "At least let him leave with peace of mind and leave no regrets on the way to the Prison River."
Thales looked at Jorah on the bed and remembered the first time he laughed at him in Mindis Hall.
And he led the swordsmen to fight the mercenaries.
Together with his colleagues, he stood between himself and Serena.
And...the battle against the vampires in the birch forest...
He closed his eyes sadly.
hateful.
"Your Highness Thales!"
Everyone turned around.
I saw a young man with black hair and brown eyes standing at the door of the barracks.
It's Willow Ken.
The "deserter" who was almost hanged.
Willow bowed respectfully to Thales and showed a grateful smile: "I'm so happy to see you! I was sent to inform you..."
He glanced into the barracks and saw the dying Jorah.
Willow immediately stopped his smile and said tremblingly: "Um... um... the two commanders, please come over with Mr. Deputy Envoy..."
Thales sighed and couldn't bear to look at Jorah on the bed.
He nodded and walked out of the room with Putilai and Ada.
"That is..." Willow asked cautiously: "Your Highness, your subordinate?"
"Yes, but we can't save him."
"I hope he leaves in peace." Thales said absently: "Willow, why did you become a handyman?"
"Hey," Willow shrugged and said helplessly: "After all... many people still think I am a deserter..."
Thales nodded absently, but his feet stopped.
No.
"Let the commanders wait a moment while I send him on his last journey."
"He died for me..."
Thales turned around sadly and looked at the dying Jorah.
Putilai shook his head and waved to Willow.
Thales walked back to the bed, looked at Jorah who was muttering inexplicably, and clenched his fists.
If Jorah, and the other Bright Star soldiers who died in the birch forest, hadn't followed me...
well.
At this moment.
"Your Highness...that..."
Willow couldn't help but said.
Putilai and others looked at him dissatisfied.
"Please don't rush me," Wyatt said unhappily: "Please give death some dignity - even if you are the ferryman of the prison river."
"No," Willow waved his hands and said anxiously:
"I was treated as a deserter yesterday and was thrown directly into the dungeon...that dungeon..."
"Now is not a good time to say thank you," Putilai said with a frown.
"Oh, that's not right," Willow shook his head and gasped:
"I met someone in the dungeon, a person who was imprisoned as a suspicious person..."
The young soldier shouted:
"That person said..."
"He's a doctor!"
Thales and others were startled and looked at Willow.
"Yes, he also said his name is... Ramon!"
Willow finally said what he wanted to say. He scratched his head and showed a hearty smile:
"He's still a doctor from the royal capital."
"According to what he said... he has superb medical skills."