When Thales finally stepped into Longxiao City, the first thing that caught his attention was not the rough and bold architectural style of this ancient city.
In fact, unlike the buildings in Yongxing City that relied on urban areas and city walls, Longxiao City was built on a gentle slope of a mountain peak. The layout of the city stretches all the way up according to the mountain topography, making it appear natural and smooth.
Similar to the experience in the Lomba military camp, what left a deep impression on Thales was the people of Exeter in Longxiao City who crowded around the city gate to watch the excitement and watch the Star Prince.
"A prince of an imperial people!" A rough shout rang out from the crowd, immediately triggering a noisy and chaotic response.
According to Putilai, this place should be full of civilians who are busy preparing for the winter and preparing to enter the city for the last time to exchange, sell, and purchase.
It happened that he caught up.
Thales could only lower his head and lament.
He hasn't been so "popular" for a long time.
Although the mood of the civilians is much better than that of the soldiers, and the people of Longxiao City are not as disgusted with the stars as the Black Sand Leader, the news that the heir of Longxiao City was assassinated in the stars has obviously spread long ago.
This caused Thales and others to encounter another round of discussion, abuse, and even flying debris - the Exeter people were much more "enthusiastic" than the Star people.
"If that king has any guts, don't send him..." An angry voice rang out from the crowd. Thales couldn't see it clearly, and he was hurriedly escorted away by his entourage before he heard the rest of it.
I could only vaguely hear voices like "Let that coward do it himself", as well as countless responses of approval or refutation, ringing behind him.
"Maintain order and isolate the crowd! We need to get to the Palace of Heroes as soon as possible!" Nicolai reprimanded his subordinates and soldiers loudly and unceremoniously: "You know what to do to those who trespass without permission!"
Fortunately, there were White Blade Guards and soldiers from Longxiao City who separated the crowd, otherwise the Star Prince would have fled into Longxiao City in embarrassment.
Although it's not much different now.
"Their unhappy expressions," Thales looked at Wyatt and Rolf, who were facing a formidable enemy, and sighed helplessly on his horse: "It's as if I killed their prince."
"Think about it," Putilai said loudly in the noisy environment: "If you died in the Northland today, and then Exeter sent someone to Yongxing City tomorrow to apologize... I think I would also have an unhappy expression.
."
Thales rolled his eyes at Putilai, who seemed not to care about the prophecy he had just made for His Highness the Prince.
"Thank you for your kind words, Mr. Deputy Envoy." Thales replied angrily: "If you are unemployed in the future, I suggest you try your luck in the Western Wilderness. Duke Falkenhauser will definitely be able to talk to you."
"The head of the family with the four-eyed skull, the 'undesirable' Guardian Duke of the Western Wilderness?" Putilai snorted and said, "Thank you for your recommendation."
Thales could only snort coldly.
But both of them knew that the real test was far from here, not on these simple people.
"Are you ready? Imperial people?" Nicolai's voice came from the front, with disdain in his words: "This will be very tiring."
"What?" Thales looked up in shock.
Soon he knew why.
Longxiao City is built in layers along the mountain and slope, spiraling upward.
They had to climb all the way in the city and pass through layers of barriers separated by thick inner city gates - there were seven or eight such inner city gates between each area.
"I have heard about the layout of Longxiao City," Huaiya gritted his teeth and observed the surroundings vigilantly. "It is said that such an inner city structure is easier to defend. Even if the enemy breaks through the gate of Longxiao City, the walls and gates will remain intact.
The shooters could also turn around and strike at the enemies rushing in, and the soldiers were able to block the enemy's attacks one after another behind the city gates."
"And because of the slope, the invaders also have to face the disadvantage of a huge overhead attack."
"I dare say that this pattern helped a lot when we faced the siege of the Eastern Continent Army in the Third Continental War."
"So, this city is not much better than Broken Dragon Fortress," Thales helplessly looked at the panting horse sitting down. He was also upset by the noisy onlookers outside the guard line.
Luan: "Citizens still have to climb all the way to take a walk - not to mention the attacking enemies."
"And the nobles also had excuses and reasons to hide in the city and tremble." Ada stepped on the stone bricks under her feet, her body was light, but she still hummed dissatisfied: "Let their people outside the city suffer.
."
"I think the first people built this city purely for military purposes, but no one thought that it would one day become the capital of Exeter." Thales glanced at the pedestrians passing by and said: "
Don’t the people who live here feel tired?”
"To a certain extent, this city also naturally excludes merchants. This layout is neither suitable for merchants nor shops, whether it is transporting goods or expanding business - can you imagine the cost of transporting a load of firewood to the inner city?
Is it enough to carry three loads of firewood?" Marquis Slys of Camus seemed to be used to this kind of road, but he still shook his head and said: "Of course, this is the time for us Camas people to come on stage."
"So the higher up the inner city is, the more powerful people can live, right?" Thales sighed: "It's really a clear and easy-to-understand class differentiation."
Under Putilai's introduction ("There should be no big changes compared to a few years ago. In fact, I suspect that Longxiao City has not changed much in more than a hundred years" - Putilai), they passed through many places on the way.
There are distinct areas: the Shield District, which looks like a slum, the Hammer District, where civilians live, the Sword District, where the market and square are located, the Bow District, which has a miscellany of everything, the Arrow District, where temples and religious sites are gathered, courts, prisons and other departments
The Spear District where it is located, the Armor District where workshops and shops are gathered, the Ax District where the nobles are located, etc.
"Why don't they just build an area called the 'Magic Gun Area'?" Thales complained angrily about all the areas in the city named after types of weapons.
"I think that when Nekaru renamed and renovated Longxiao City, the magic gun had probably not been invented yet." Putilai replied nonchalantly.
"When was the magic gun invented?" Thales rolled his eyes: "Who invented it? Why is it named like that?"
"The magic gun has been around for almost three hundred years, and other parts are easy to obtain," Putilai said with a smile, as if he knew what he was going to ask, but deliberately opposed him: "Only the core part
Parts are strategic resources, and its source... you will know sooner or later."
"As for the naming...no one knows."
Thales curled his lips.
Magic gun...
Magician.
Magical energy.
magic.
He suppressed the doubts in his heart and tried to shift his attention to the current matter.
"Well... the people of Exeter have such an unimaginative name for their town."
"If they don't have enough material to name the city area, I have another suggestion." Seeing the mount climbing hard, even Thales couldn't help but feel a little tired, and let out a long breath: "Legendary Anti-Magic Armed Area."
"If you ask me, you have been chattering non-stop from just now," Putilai finally took out his pipe again, looked at Thales with a deep look, took a deep breath and said the truth smoothly: "It's because of the upcoming
The situation faced..."
"And are you nervous?"
Taylor was speechless for a moment.
Damn it.
Under the gazes of the rest of the mission, Thales closed his mouth in disbelief.
They finally "climbed" out of the last section of the Ax Zone.
No matter where he goes, the sky-blue background cross and two-star flag held by Gennard behind Thales is the biggest target of everyone's attention. People crowding to watch him are everywhere along the way. Longxiao City
The soldiers maintaining order were simply overwhelmed, and the Northlanders' naturally loud voices and fiery personalities made the scene even more chaotic.
This gave Thales no chance to carefully observe the appearance of Longxiao City, and he was escorted all the way into the highest inner city by the White Blade Guards. The city gate was closed to isolate the surging crowd.
Thales frowned and took a deep breath.
With the help of Huai Ya, he dismounted, stepped on the rough and hard black stone tiles of the Northland, and slowly raised his head.
In front of you is a palace.
So, that's it... Thales thought in a daze.
"Allow me to say goodbye to you here, my dear His Highness Thales." Before he had time to observe the palace carefully, Marquis Slais from the Camus Alliance came to him, bowed his head humbly, and spoke in a low voice.
The voice said: "You have to be mentally prepared."
"According to the plan……"
The Marquis of Camus chuckled:
"Your Majesty Nuen, you may have some feelings for you..."
"rough."
Thales smiled awkwardly, then took a deep breath of cold air and nodded.
rough?
certainly.
Thales rolled his eyes secretly in his heart.
Since coming to this world.
Has anyone ever been gentle to themselves?
You almost thought this was an article about abusing the main character, okay?
Marquis Slys and Nicolai looked at each other, led Conmas's men and left in another direction.
Just when Thales was about to raise his head and take a good look at this palace, which might be the Exeter Palace, the palace door slowly opened.
A group of northerners who were more gorgeously and neatly dressed, but still fully armed, filed out of the palace gate.
Thales couldn't help but feel nervous.
Sure enough, a loud voice sounded from the group of people:
"In the name of His Majesty Noon Walton VII, King of Exeter..."
"I am here to welcome visitors from a foreign country."
A man with a shaved head, a tough appearance and a cold face, pursed his lips tightly at Thales, squinted his eyes for a few seconds, and then said calmly:
"Your Majesty is looking forward to your arrival."
"His Royal Highness the Prince of the Stars."
Thales clenched his fists.
coming.
Nicolai laughed and stepped forward to hug the leader.
"Have you completed your mission, dear leader of the guard, my friend Nicolai?" the man asked softly, seemingly meaningfully.
"Of course," Nikolai said with a hint of authenticity: "The Prince of the Stars we want is already here."
Thales frowned and watched the exchange between the two.
Then, the leading man with a curly hair came to Thales and saluted him.
"Welcome to Exeter and her most dazzling and glorious pearl - Longxiao City, His Highness Thales from the Stars."
Thales thought of Gilbert's teachings and Putilai's tips on the road, and quickly smiled in return.
He looks like a bureaucrat, but his body - Thales thought: more like a warrior.
In other words, almost all men in the North look like warriors?
"I am Lord Byrne Michael," said the stern-haired Northland man, about forty or fifty years old, wearing thick robes and with a serious look on his face: "Before receiving the title, I was also a member of the White Blade Guard. Now
As an official of His Majesty Nuen, I will be responsible for arranging all the reception matters for you in Longxiao City."
"Thank you for your reception, Lord Michael." Thales nodded, confirming his judgment in his heart.
"Allow me to introduce it to you who are here for the first time." Michael turned around with a straight face and raised his hand towards the majestic palace behind him: "The residence of the lords in the North from ancient times to the present, from the humble mountain houses in the era of kings to
, to the stone fortresses of the imperial era, and then to the majestic palaces of today.”
"For thousands of years, it has witnessed the history of the North, the rise of Exeter, and the children of the North Wind and the Dragon, prosperous and endless."
Michael said the next words solemnly:
"The Palace of Heroes."
Palace of Heroes?
The meaning of this name...
Is it really suitable for a living lord to live in?
Thales was startled, then slowly raised his head.
It was a huge palace with simple style and heavy color, grand layout and rough shape. It was built on the mountain. Even from the ground of the inner city where he stepped, it was nearly eight or nine stories high. The building materials were also quite unique——
Huge wood, rough stones, animal skins, and metals are all stored in it, and in many places they are even roughly polished.
Typical Northland style, powerful, bold and wild.
In front of the huge palace gate, there are ten pillars more than ten meters high, supporting the majestic palace roof. The pillars are engraved with stories of the heroes of the North through the ages. The carving style is simple and unrestrained.
On the road from the inner city to the palace gate, there are eight furnaces several meters high. Even in broad daylight, the fire is burning brightly, seeming to illuminate the small square in front of the palace gate all day long.
The surroundings were surrounded by tall, fierce-looking White Blade Guards and Longxiao City guards. Different from the orderly and strictly distributed guards in the stars, their positions seemed scattered and their patrols were irregular. But after Ada's reminder, Tai
Only then did Erls suddenly realize that they were "loose on the outside and tight on the inside, leaving no dead ends".
Compared to the Star Fuxing Palace, which has a creative shape and looks like half a pyramid, the palace in Longxiao City looks more like a majestic palace from a story, from the architectural style to the staffing inside.
The red dragon flag on a black background flies high above it.
Flying below the national flag, there is another flag: a dragon spear thrust out of the clouds - Walton's family emblem, the dragon spear in the clouds.
Red and black, coupled with the color of the naturally falling snow, in Thales's impression, there is nothing more like a palace where heroic spirits return.
Thales shook his head: It is truly the Palace of Heroes.
And the lords, grand dukes, kings and so on who live here...
At this moment, Thales's eyes were suddenly attracted to the top of the palace, and he couldn't help but raise his head.
A stone bridge stretches out from the top floor of the palace and leads to another mountain peak in the sky.
Thales' eyes narrowed.
It's that stone bridge.
The stone bridge leading to Sky Cliff - the palace of the "Sky Queen".
Only then did he notice that there was a huge statue standing at the starting point of the stone bridge. He could not see it clearly from a distance because of his vision.
It was a giant black stone statue of a male warrior.
I saw that the warrior on the statue was heroic and majestic, holding a scary-looking spear in both hands, with neat armor and strong muscles. He looked majestic and condescending, overlooking the Palace of Heroes.
Presumably - Thales thought, from that angle, he could have a panoramic view of the entire Longxiao City.
Lord Michael, who was in charge of the reception, was very patient and waited quietly for the foreign prince until he noticed Thales' gaze.
"That is the stone bridge leading to the Sky Cliff. On it stands the statue of Nekaru I. It was completed more than six hundred years ago after Nekaru passed away." Michael raised his head and introduced seriously: "
Just renovated a week ago.”
Thales had a stern expression.
That is... He looked at the heroic man in the stone statue.
Human heroes of the end war...
One of the people who defeated the disaster and defeated the magician.
Founder and first monarch of Exeter.
Nekaru Akers?
The warrior on the statue is covered with snow, and the action of holding the gun is full of strength, giving it a sense of tension and beauty.
It must have been more than six hundred years since Nekaru looked down at his people, his land, and his country with such a resolute expression and deep eyes?
Thales nodded slightly to Michael.
A cloud passed by and the direction of the sunlight changed a bit.
Looking from a distance, the expression of the statue of the Exeter hero seemed to change from determination to sadness in an instant.
Thales narrowed his eyes and admired the craftsmanship of the sculptor six hundred years ago.
Just renovated a week ago - to welcome yourself?
Not too possible.
Perhaps the people of Exeter are still looking forward to the legendary dragon queen who disappeared without a trace after the End War and will come back to visit her husband's statue?
Come to visit the country that left her portrait on the flag, and take care of the Blade of the West Continent that she left behind with Nekaru?
"A room has been prepared for you in the Palace of Heroes - this will temporarily serve as your residence during your stay in Longxiao City," Michael raised his hand toward the palace door, gesturing for Thales to move forward.
Thales smiled: "Of course, thank you His Majesty Nunn for your hospitality."
"And please come with me." The expression of the man with a stern hair did not change, but what he said made everyone in the Star Mission feel depressed:
"His Majesty Nunn and the five great justices are in the Hall of Heroes, waiting for your arrival."
Thales and Putilai exchanged a look.
here we go.
But just when Thales, Putilai, and Ada were about to step forward, Michael gently raised his hand and stopped the thin deputy envoy.
"His Royal Highness's entourage, please follow my subordinates to leave and go to your room first." Michael said softly.
"I don't understand," Putilai stopped and looked at Michael calmly: "I am His Highness's deputy on this trip, and I must stay with His Highness."
"I understand your responsibilities..." Michael said slowly without showing any expression: "But this invitation is subject to restrictions."
"This is a noble conversation, lord to lord, royal to royal."
"Brilliant Star only hopes to see Walton and the five major families - His Majesty and the five Grand Dukes. Just as His Highness will only see His Majesty and the five Grand Dukes."
"Therefore, please attend alone, Your Highness of the Stars."
Thales's face changed.
Alone... facing Nuln VII and the five archdukes?
"As far as I know," Putilai said lightly, "this is not the usual etiquette between the two countries."
Although they have reached a preliminary agreement with King Nun...
But the prince's safety must not be risked...
Xingchen has had enough lessons in this area.
"These are extraordinary times." Michael shook his head.
"You want us to hand over the only heir to the stars, give up his protection, and leave him helpless and under your control?" Putilai cleverly pointed out the most crucial key.
Behind Thales, Ada, Wyatt, Rolf and others all became nervous and unconsciously touched the weapons at hand.
Nicolai raised his hand slightly, and the White Blade Guards vaguely surrounded them.
"As you said before," the meteorite's face became paler: "You still don't have much choice, do you, little prince?"
Thales narrowed his eyes.
"Please believe me, this is necessary." Michael stared at Thales with a burning gaze: "And when it comes to being isolated and helpless, with all due respect..."
"The moment you enter the border of Exeter..."
"Aren't you already isolated and helpless?"
Thales sighed softly.
Putilai said no more.
This made the time traveler realize that his cooperative hunting with Nunn had begun.
All right.
Is it said that King Nun will be very "rough"?
Thales smiled calmly in his heart.
We'll see.
Under Putilai's livid face and Michael's uncertain expression, Thales suppressed the uneasiness in his heart and smiled:
"Okay, I really can't wait to see His Majesty Nunn."
Thales turned his head, looked at his fellow travelers, and nodded slightly.
"no need to worry."
"I'll be back soon."
After the words fell, Thales stepped forward, and the small figure walked towards the Palace of Heroes, which was completely different in style from the Fuxing Palace, but equally deep and quiet.