Lord Byrne Michael, the officer of Nun VII, stood quietly in the corridor outside the Hall of Heroes, looking at the slowly increasing falling snow outside the stone window, thoughtfully.
The soldiers of the White Blade Guards were standing around, their eyes sharp.
Michael could no longer remember how many times he had looked at the falling snow in the North like this in his more than forty years of life.
The king's personal guard captain, the current leader of the White Blade Guards, Nikolai the Fallen Star, came from behind and stood beside him.
Lord Michael did not look back: "This year's extremely cold weather will probably make it very cold."
"Yes, old man," Nicolai looked at the heavy snow outside the window, narrowed his eyes, and showed a strange smile:
"Do you still remember the days when we first arrived at the White Blade Guards and trained in extremely cold and snowy weather?"
"Of course," Lord Michael, who has been an official for many years, thought of the past and smiled slightly: "Kaslan is just like you now. He has a bad face every day and trains us to death... We all call him '' behind our backs.
Bingshan', even when he talked in his sleep every night, he was cursing him to die early or not be able to find a wife."
"Until his mother-in-law came to see him in the military camp," Nicolette laughed, "it made Monty's eyes look straight... God knows how Iceberg's mother-in-law can be so beautiful, it's really unfair!"
Michael's eyes drifted into the distance.
yes.
He still remembered that more than twenty years ago, when he first joined the White Blade Guards, the famous "Earthshaker" commander Kaslan Lumba used a whip to drive their "new recruits" to the end of the day at four o'clock in the morning.
Cold outdoors - although those who can be selected into the White Blade Guards must be hard-blooded men who have experienced the front line.
"Do you feel cold? The north wind and severe cold are the most generous gifts from the Lord of the Mountains to the people of the North! They make you stronger, harder, and more unstoppable!" This is Kaslana
time words.
Michael still remembered his old boss’s huge body, which was comparable to that of a ferocious bear in the snow, and his face that was covered with frost and snow but remained fierce: “Don’t waste time, take off all your clothes and start running—get ready for the finish line.”
If you don’t have hot water, if you can’t run within half an hour, you will freeze to death on the road!”
Thinking of this, Michael's eyes moved and he asked Nicolai: "Are you still continuing that 'meeting ceremony'? All new members of the Guard have to run around naked in the extreme cold?"
"Of course, we were treated so badly back then," Nicolai chuckled, "Wouldn't it be a pity if we didn't let the newcomers experience it too?"
Michael and he looked at each other and smiled.
At that time, in the White Blade Guards, the almost invincible legendary Kaslan was in his prime, and "Blood Hammer" Dominic had not yet died in the White Mountains. He always wore his signature hateful smile and helped them count laps with a smile, "No
"Extinguish the Fire" Tyrande is still carrying his silver and black immovable bow, and every move he makes is majestic.
At that time, three of the future "Five Generals" gathered here: Seri Nicolai was a big-headed soldier with a stinky face who disliked everyone. He had not yet earned his nickname "Meteor" under the fortress.
, and no one believed that this prickly head who was always beaten could become Kaslan's successor in the future; later Isaiah Solian, nicknamed "Prickly Wind", was named by everyone because he was picky and complained about the food every day.
"Prince of the Guards", seven years later, he will usher in the legendary battle that will be brilliant at the 38th Outpost; probably no one will believe that the terrifying "Death Crow" Ned Monty,
At that time, he was a country crossbowman who was full of obscene words, glanced around with a pair of rogue eyes, and liked to chatter about the size of girls’ buttocks when he passed by.
They are all young and passionate warriors, each one more proud than the other, and each one more impulsive than the other - Michael still remembers that Nicolai was tied to a stake in front of all the new guards because he disobeyed orders.
The scene where Kaslan was whipping him with a barbed whip until his skin was torn apart, and he was biting the pieces of wood and moaning.
Under Kaslan's cruel hands, they were forged into His Majesty Nunn's most reliable sharp knives and the most solid dragon guards. They were on the glacier defense line in the Outpost Territory, in the deep valley battlefields of the White Mountains, and in the complex golden corridors.
In the tragic Broken Dragon Fortress, they fought bloody battles, leaving behind the bodies of countless comrades. They cried and mourned when they failed, sang war hymns during the fierce battles, drank happily after the victory, and finally engraved their names on the "Book of the White Blade".
The platinum page ranks with the heroes of the North since the ancient empire.
Those days were like a dream.
Of course, there was also the young man with a hearty smile who hid his identity and trained with them - he once had a fight with him over a bowl of broth.
That bastard.
Thinking of this, Michael couldn't help but smile slightly, and then his eyes darkened.
Michael sighed: And now, even his daughter is twenty years old.
At this time, Nicolai sighed: "The time has come."
Michael put his thoughts back into his deepest heart. He turned around and bowed slightly to the two small figures beside him: "Please come with me, Miss Alex."
"It's about four o'clock in the morning!" Wearing a thick coat, it turned out to be the beautiful girl Alex Walton who had just been pulled up from the bed. He was rubbing his sleepy eyes with one hand and holding his hand in front of his mouth.
He was breathing hotly and said angrily: "What's the matter that we can't talk about tomorrow morning?"
Lord Michael looked at Alex's appearance and couldn't help but sigh in his heart.
This girl is so pampered.
So much so that her temper is just like that of the daughters of merchants or nouveau riche nobles.
This is not a good thing - especially since she is the last direct descendant of the Walton family, even though she is a girl.
"I said it - this is your Majesty's order," the Lord nodded slightly expressionlessly: "And please believe me, the next thing is crucial to your future, noble lady."
The king's granddaughter turned her head and snorted coldly, expressing her dissatisfaction and anger at the moment.
Alex tightened his robe, and then glanced behind him, his childish tone full of dissatisfaction: "But why did you bring her here - this lowly maid!"
Michael frowned slightly.
Behind Alex, a thin girl with platinum blond hair and thin clothes, wearing thick black glasses, shivering in the cold wind in the middle of the night, timidly took a step back after hearing this.
"It is still His Majesty's order," Lord Michael replied calmly: "We must obey it."
Alex stopped talking. She glared hard at the little slipper behind her, who hugged her arms in grievance.
Michael nodded and walked towards the Hall of Heroes with the two little girls.
Alex yawned and raised his head proudly, while Little Slipper shrank and followed step by step. Occasionally he would catch a glimpse of a fierce-looking White Blade Guardsman and would take a small step back in fear.
At this time, Nicolai, who was behind Michael, suddenly called out to him.
"Byrne, do you still remember that we once held up our white blades and swore our sacred oath to the "Book of Legends"?" Nicolai took a deep breath, his eyes full of nostalgia for the past: "The last few words?"
Michael felt that Nicolai was a little strange today - he was not usually so nostalgic.
Michael stared straight at Nicolai, trying to find something on his old friend's face.
"Of course," but the training back then had ingrained into his instinct, so Michael chuckled, then solemnly said, word for word: "My blood is my oath, my body is the proof, and my blade is the proof.
My soul is offered as a sacrifice..."
Nicolai's eyes flashed, he nodded, and together with Michael, he said the next sentence with a complicated expression: "To resist a powerful enemy, fight a hundred battles until all the blood is shed."
The members of the White Blade Guards beside them suddenly became serious, and they unanimously pressed their fists to their hearts silently.
"Defend life and fearless sacrifice until humankind is extinct."
Alex rolled his eyes as he waited and exhaled impatiently.
On the other hand, the little slick guy next to him looked at the serious-looking White Blade Guards with eyes full of excitement.
"Guard the future, honor the faith, until the sun and the moon dim."
"This is the new oath of the White Blade," the little slipper couldn't help but murmured in a low voice: "In 1386 of the Imperial Calendar, Seir Alend retrieved the "Book of the White Blade". He rebuilt the famous White Blade Guard, combining the ancient
The old sword oath and the empire's knightly canonization oath..."
"Shut up, idiot!" Alex interrupted her harshly: "You are annoying."
Little Huantou's eyes turned red and he bowed his head deeply.
Nicolai and Michael looked at each other and recited the last sentence in unison:
"Inherit hope and bloom glory until all things sleep forever."
The two were silent for a while, looking at each other and smiling.
Michael nodded, and walked into the Hall of Heroes with the two little girls.
And the person he respected the most, Nun VII, who had just experienced a duel, was sitting on the steps at the edge of the hall.
Next to the king, sat the messenger of the stars who made all the ministers talk about it - the young and precocious Prince Thales Bright Star.
It's just that both of them were silent, in bad mood, and seemed to have had an unpleasant conversation.
Michael brought two doubtful little girls to the king.
"Your Majesty," the officer nodded to the king and stepped aside: "Miss Alex."
Thales raised his head.
what happened?
He looked at the brown-haired and blue-eyed Alex in surprise, and the little slick guy behind her who didn't dare to say a word - he seemed to be frightened by the situation in front of him.
Alex felt his gaze, and the teenage girl glared back at the Prince of Stars rudely, making Thales frown slightly.
This is……
My future wife?
Thales, who was disturbed by the secret just now, turned his head involuntarily and sighed.
This move made Alex pouted in dissatisfaction.
"Grandpa, what's wrong?" Alex Walton, the only direct female descendant of the Grand Duke of Longxiao City, raised his lips and said softly to the plain-faced King Nuen: "I'm very tired now..."
Little Slippery hid behind Alex. She poked her head out and looked at Thales, who had dim eyes, cautiously and curiously.
That boy...what happened to him?
Not happy?
Nun VII did not answer his granddaughter's words. He just scooped up another glass of wine from the wine barrel beside him and took a sip.
"Michael," the old king's vicissitudes of voice sounded: "My granddaughter will marry this boy."
"As a former Hand-Blade Guard and my officer, what would you do?"
Michael frowned slightly.
Although I had expected it, when I actually heard it...
"What!"
Miss Walton exclaimed.
Alex's little eyes were wider than her mouth. She looked Thales up and down in disbelief: "Grandpa, you want me to marry... this... this..."
"You want him to be my husband?" Alex's breathing quickened. She looked at the listless Thales, the boy she met in the library this afternoon and taught her a lesson on the spot, and felt a sense of grievance in her heart.
"He is thin and small, and he is not as tall as me!" Alex turned his head angrily and said anxiously to his grandfather: "It's better to let the little slipper marry him!"
The little slipper behind her suddenly turned pale and shrank again.
"Come on, Miss Alex," Thales was in an extremely bad mood and had no energy to maintain a relationship with a teenage girl. He didn't even raise his head and said calmly: "Marrying you is nothing.
Something to be happy about.”
Alex was stunned for a moment, then turned into anger: "You..."
But at this moment, Michael's voice came in time, interrupting Alex who was about to lose his temper.
"Although His Royal Highness Thales is from the stars, if this is your wish," Lord Michael bowed his head respectfully and calmly reminded Alex: "I will be loyal to him, just like
I am loyal to Miss Alex."
King Nun stared at him for three full seconds.
"Yes," King Nunn immediately turned his head and said to Thales: "I believe you have already met him. This is Byrne Michael - when he was still in the White Blade Guard, he was Suriel's most trusted person.
Subordinate."
Suril?
Thales' expression changed.
Is he the eldest son of King Nun?
He raised his head and looked at Michael, who also turned his head and nodded to him respectfully.
Alex was furious and wanted to speak, but was forced back by a stern look from Michael.
It seems - Thales said silently in his heart - this young lady with a bad temper still listens to her father's old subordinate.
"Then, in order to thank you for your help, and to prove that there is no longer any hostility or conflict between us, according to the customs of the North," King Nun narrowed his eyes, raised his wine glass, and placed it in front of Thales.
: "Take a sip from my cup - Canxing and Walton, we will be friends from now on."
Thales frowned and looked at the old king with confusion.
What is he doing?
Reaffirm my identity to Alex and Michael? Or our relationship?
is this necessary?
The prince of the stars thought for a few seconds and sighed: "You know, Lumba from the Black Sand Territory did the same thing - pushed a glass of wine in front of me and invited me to form an alliance with him, but I refused."
"Wise choice," King Nun said with an interesting expression: "What about now?"
Under King Nun's compelling gaze, Thales pursed his lips.
"Shouldn't you wait until tomorrow, release the messenger crow, and then wait for my father to reply?" Thales asked tentatively: "If my father has any other opinions..."
"That is between me and your father," King Nunn's firm eyes proved his serious and serious attitude, "but you are you, the son of Thales, not Kessel Brightstar,
Or the second prince of the Kingdom of Stars - this has nothing to do with whether you will marry my granddaughter or whether Bright Star is related to the Walton Alliance."
"What I'm asking about is just your attitude, Thales." The old king raised his wine glass, his eyes burning: "Are you willing to resolve the hostility with me and with the Walton family?"
"It's just you."
Thales's heart moved.
He suddenly realized that this was the first time since he became a prince that someone had just asked "Tales" such a formal question.
Rather than any ancient or important title filled with the word "Tales".
Thales looked at King Nun.
Finally, the Star Prince sighed.
"Of course." Thales silently took the king's wine glass with both hands and looked at the half glass of rye alcohol inside.
Under Michael's cautious eyes, Alex's angry little face, and the curious and nervous eyes of the little slicker, the old king smiled.
Thales closed his eyes and took a small sip into his mouth.
He thought he had already predicted the alcoholic beverages in this world - Yara's Sunset Bar often had different drinks in the back kitchen, and Thales had been poking around here and digging there - but until this sip
As the wine went down his throat and down his stomach, he realized that even in this world, wine was different from wine.
At least, the rye wine specially supplied to King Exeter is really...
"Cough cough cough..." Thales smashed the wine glass on the steps and started coughing violently!
The spicy and mellow smell of alcohol suddenly surged up, passing through his throat, mouth, nose, and straight to his brain!
In the previous life in the memory fragment, he was the type who drank as soon as he touched it. Thales didn't know if this body in this world would be better, but he at least knew that he was definitely not suitable for rye alcohol.
!
"Ahem..." Thales coughed until his face turned red and tears came out.
"Hahaha," Nunn looked at him and laughed boldly: "Maybe we should start with something lighter."
Thales felt a little feverish on his face.
"It doesn't matter... Kaslan told me," Thales finally adjusted himself. He looked at the wine glass with a grimace, hummed softly, shook his head and said, "Children don't drink, but they won't grow up.
"
Michael's expression changed.
Kaslan?
Upon hearing this name, King Nun's smile suddenly stopped.
The little slippery man seemed to have heard of this name. Her eyes lit up behind her glasses and she stared at Thales with a lively look.
The king had a subtle expression and looked at Thales with strange eyes: "Caslan?"
"The old man who sells wine in Hac Sa Ling?"
The smell of alcohol slowly left Thales' mouth and nose, and he chuckled guiltily.
Did I say something wrong?
"Um," under the gaze of King Nuen, he hesitated: "I heard Putilai said that he was once your personal guard captain and the previous commander of the White Blade Guards."
King Nun's eyes stopped on his face, making the latter quite embarrassed.
Until the king's voice rings again.
"The best term in Exeter's history," King Nunn sighed, "although it's unfair to say that for Nicolai."
Lord Michael, who was standing aside, nodded slightly, and at the same time once again used a warning look in his eyes, leaving the quilt aside, about to cry, and frightened Alex who was about to have an attack.
King Nun muttered: "Kaslan, have you met him...has he mentioned me to you?"
"Yes," Thales smiled and nodded: "Kaslan said that you were once a good king."
Nunn VII was slightly startled, but then he slapped his thigh and laughed loudly: "Hahahahaha!"
"'Once'?" King Nunn quickly caught the key word, and he laughed loudly without any scruples, "This is such a good use of the word!"
Thales was stunned and could only shrug helplessly.
The king's laughter echoed in the empty hall.
Michael lowered his head slightly.
King Nun stopped laughing and exhaled, as if he was recalling the past years.
"Tell me, that old guy - what did he say about me?" King Nuen snorted and asked.
"He said," Thales carefully observed King Nunn's face: "You are also a human being. You will also grow old. There will also be a day when you will be confused by slander and lust, and be swayed by desires and impulses."
The smile on the king's face disappeared.
His eyes flickered several times and his expression was uncertain.
This made Thales' mood rise and fall.
Finally, King Nun let out a long sigh: "I can't say he is wrong."
Silence returned to the venue.
"Now, Thales, why don't you invite our beautiful lady to have a drink too?" King Nunn suddenly spoke. He raised the glass and handed it to Thales, then nodded slightly in the direction of Alex: "In view of the fact that
Your future relationship.”
Thales couldn't help being slightly stunned after taking the wine glass.
What's going on?
Let that arrogant-looking young lady... drink?
Lord Michael, who was watching, also showed doubts.
"Ah?" Alex's face changed. She looked at Thales in horror, then at the iron wine glass, and then shook her head resolutely: "No, Grandpa, I don't want..."
King Nuen looked at her quietly, his eyes cold.
Alex seemed to be frightened by the old king's eyes, and her voice slowly weakened.
But the king's granddaughter seemed unwilling to give up. She frowned, and suddenly her eyes lit up. She turned around and pulled the little slipper over: "Her! Let her drink! She is my maid anyway!"
The little slippery little girl who was unprepared was suddenly pulled out by Alex. The little girl with glasses looked at King Nunn in horror, then looked at Thales, almost crying: "I... that... no...
"
Thales narrowed his eyes and looked at all this with confusion.
At this moment, Michael's voice sounded at the right time:
"Miss Alex!"
The king's officer looked at Alex sternly, with undeniable anger in his eyes: "Stop this nonsense!"
Alex's voice suddenly faltered, and she seemed to shrink back in fear.
"That's your grandfather, your king - it's his order!" Michael pulled Alex away unceremoniously: "Go and obey his order, whether it's wine..."
"It's still your marriage."
Under the stern lesson from Michael and the urging from King Nun's eyes, Alex took a step forward with great grievance.
She reluctantly took Thales's wine glass, her eyes were red, and she gave the innocent Thales a vicious look, and then looked pitifully at King Nunn - but the latter showed no sign.
Thales spread his hands, showing that he was helpless.
Alex, who had no choice but to pouted, took a gulp of wine in pain and anger.
Alex threw down the wine glass angrily, glared at Thales, and a few seconds later he was so angry that he coughed.
The king chuckled.
"Michael, this reminds me of Suriel's drinking capacity," King Nunn laughed: "I once heard Kaslan say that when he was training in the White Blade Guards, he drank down a large number of people."
"Yes," Michael also smiled and nodded: "His Royal Highness Suril... is very generous and a good drinker."
"Yes, I remember that you had a good relationship with him?" King Nunn raised his head and looked at Michael, with nostalgia in his eyes.
"We knew each other when you asked him to remain anonymous and train in the White Blade Guards." Michael smiled slightly and nodded: "He is not only a prince, but also my colleague and friend - I am still here
I still remember his hearty laugh."
King Nun curled his lips.
Thales ignored Alex's dissatisfied eyes. He watched the monarch and his ministers remembering Suriel Walton, the eldest son of the king in the past, and began to wonder secretly: Should I leave?
"Yeah, he's a guy who likes to laugh - that's a lot like me."
"It's a pity that he married a wife who is always looking sad," King Nuen sighed: "I still remember that every time the couple ate in front of me, they didn't even look at each other."
"Mrs. Adele comes from Vine City in the southwest of Camas, where the climate is warm and humid. She is the daughter of a marquis in the city and is not used to the hard life in the North." Lord Michael glanced at Alex and said,
Sighing, "Miss Alex obviously inherited many of her mother's characteristics."
Alex pouted for the third time.
King Nuen snorted lightly.
"Tiles," just as Thales was about to say goodbye and leave, King Nunn suddenly raised his head and looked at him coldly: "I told you, my eldest son did not die in an accident - he died in an assassination.
."
Michael's face moved slightly.
Suril?
He looked at Thales and then at King Nunn, seemingly hesitant to speak.
And the old king's next words made Michael really change his face.
"Tell him, Michael," King Nun said calmly, "how my son Suril died."
Thales held his breath and looked at Michael, with new doubts emerging in his heart.
Not quite right.
The king’s eldest son? Why mention what happened so many years ago?
Moreover, King Nun’s change of direction was unnatural—did he bring up this topic on purpose?
Alex seemed to know the seriousness of this topic, and she also calmed down, with a slight fear on her face.
"Your Majesty," Lord Michael objected with an ugly face: "As His Highness Thales..."
But King Nun interrupted him.
"Tell him! He needs to know," the old king grabbed the wine glass on the ground and said with a cold face: "From the process to the result."
Michael looked at King Nunn blankly - the latter's expression had become very serious and terrifying.
Feeling that something was wrong in the atmosphere, Alex lowered his head and took a step back, and touched the little slipper.
"What's wrong?" Thales carefully controlled his tone: "Your Majesty, you just said, Assassins from the Stars, right?"
Michael was stunned, as if he didn't expect that Thales already knew.
King Nun glanced at Michael majestically.
Thales rolled his eyes and observed the situation, feeling a little regretful for not leaving earlier.
It seems that the atmosphere is not very good.
The officer sighed and finally said:
"That was the turn of autumn and winter twelve years ago."
Thales thought: Twelve years ago?
Wouldn't that be...
"Prince Suriel took Lady Adele and Miss Alex, who is less than one year old, out to Longxiao City for hunting."
"Because I was originally responsible for the safety of Prince Suril, Nicolai assigned me to lead a team of white-blade guards to protect them," Michael lowered his eyelids and spoke in a low and painful voice, as if the memory was very unbearable.
: "But the accident still happened."
Thales said nothing and listened quietly.
"I don't know if it's a coincidence or not, but Harold Lombard, the eldest son of the then Grand Duke of Black Sand, was visiting Longxiao City at that time, and actually went to the same place to hunt," Michael said, and paused for a moment.
tone, but the words began to tremble slightly:
"That assassin... was among Harold's entourage."
Thales narrowed his eyes.
"The assassin sneaked under Lady Adele's carriage and waited for Prince Suriel to return after talking to Harold, and then..."
Michael clenched his fists, gritted his teeth and exhaled.
King Nuen was silent, sitting on the steps expressionlessly, his eyes numb.
"I shot a signal crossbow to ask for help." Thales could tell that the day that Michael had experienced must have been quite painful and difficult. The latter closed his eyes and his face twitched: "Nicolai intercepted the man on the road.
The assassin...but he ran away in the end."
"Prince Suriel was severely injured and lost a lot of blood. On the spot... In order to protect Miss Alex, Mrs. Adele also..."
Having said this, Michael closed his eyes in pain: "I failed to protect them..."
Alex lowered her head and just stared blankly at the ground. The little slicker behind her was even more angry and did not dare to say a word.
After a few seconds, Lord Michael finally recovered. He swallowed his throat and said sadly: "Although there is no evidence, the darkroom is very sure after the investigation..."
"The assassin came from the stars—even came directly from the palace."
Thales frowned.
Nope.
The assassination twelve years ago?
But weren't the stars at that time going through the bloody years?
His thoughts were interrupted.
King Nuen raised his head slightly, his tone heavy and sad:
"Tales, twelve years ago..."
"It's not without reason that we send troops south to the stars."
————
Star Kingdom, Yongxing City, an unknown underground place.
"Clang!"
The sharp sound of an iron gate being violently opened echoed clearly in this dark place.
Two torches dipped in the oil of eternity were lit, and two men in guard uniforms appeared in a row of dark corridors.
The firelight illuminated the cells on the left and right - cells made of thick iron bars.
There was a commotion in the cell with noise and fire.
"Damn it! Don't you have any sense of time?" In a cell, a neat but shabby man who looked like an aristocrat seemed to have just been woken up. He was lying on his bed with sleepy eyes.
Angry: "It's definitely early morning or late at night! If this happened in the past, in the Foreign Affairs Department..."
The two guards holding torches ignored him, as if they were used to it.
They respectfully stepped aside to make way for a strong figure in the middle.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty Eddie! You are finally here!" This was a sloppy old man with disheveled hair and a confused and fanatical expression. Under the stimulation of the light, he rushed forward, shook the iron fence desperately, and yelled crazily.
: "Please consider my words! Even if you don't think about yourself, what about His Highness Midir? Are you willing to hand him a star riddled with holes?"
At the signal from the sturdy figure, the two guards looked at each other, walked in front, and began to lead the way.
The prisoners on both sides woke up one after another, with different behaviors, but most of them were abnormal or shouting crazily.
"You are all going to die, hahaha," this was an old prisoner lying on the ground. He yelled crazily: "Even the royal family, you are all going to die... How dare you, how dare you... Haha..."
The three figures ignored it and continued to move forward.
"Look who we have welcomed." An imposing young prisoner leaned on the fence and squinted into the firelight. He seemed to be very sober: "Isn't this the fifth prince, a disgrace to the royal family... You
Why don't you work hard on women's bellies for your poor blood, but come here to blow the cold wind?"
"It's not me, it's really not me!" A prisoner held his head and shouted in mourning: "I never touched Prince Bancroft's wine glass! No! It was all Jenkins, he was the one who poisoned me!"
"Norfolk, yes, Norfolk," this was a prisoner with his back to the corridor. He could be seen carving something on the wall and kept mumbling to himself: "I know what he is planning.
Behind the backs of Duke John and Count Karabiyan...maybe it has something to do with the rebels, I have suspected him for a long time, but that annoying woman, Sonia Satherley..."
The three of them continued walking forward.
"Hey! Boy!" A prisoner with a scar on his face saw the person coming and rushed to the fence, yelling: "What's going on on the western front now? After you captured the Altar of the Desert God, we retaken the Blade Tooth Dunes.
Where are the orcs and the eight tribes under the Dragon Skeleton Throne? Tell me! Tell me quickly!"
The strong figure turned a deaf ear to these sounds from both sides and kept moving forward.
The two guards with calm expressions took him into the next area. There were no transparent cells with bars. Instead, there were airtight cells sealed off by heavy iron doors. There was only one horizontal pull on each iron door.
The gate serves as the only connection between the closed cell and the outside world.
The two guards led the visitor to a room on the innermost floor, and one of them knocked vigorously on the iron door.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Another guard looked at the sturdy visitor, who nodded slightly.
So the guard grabbed the iron bolt on the iron door that controlled the gate and opened a hole that could only accommodate half the size of a face.
It was pitch dark in the cell.
And the terrifying silence.
It lasted for a long time.
Until a rough voice slowly came from the dark cell:
"What a surprise."
"What brought the great iron-fisted king to a traitorous duke?"
The two guards bowed slightly, inserted the torches into the grooves on the wall behind them, and left respectfully.
Under the illumination of the fire, a haggard face with a slovenly beard appeared at the gate of the iron door.
The prisoner in this cell, the current Duke of the North, "Iron Eagle" Val Arend, stared sharply at the person outside the door.
Outside the door, the Supreme King of the Star Kingdom, Kessel V, sat down gently on the chair that had been prepared outside the cell.
"I want to come and talk to you about what happened back then," Kessel said softly, expressionlessly, "the fall of the North during the Year of Blood."
Val's expression changed and he disappeared behind the iron door.
Then, his suppressed laughter came from the cell.
In the flickering firelight, Kessel remained silent and did not speak.
"There's nothing to talk about," the Duke of the North had laughed enough, and he said coldly: "When the war was at its most intense, I wasn't even in the North - my father, brother, wife, and sister were the ones facing that.
A war.”
"If you want to talk, just go to the prison river and talk to them."
Kessel quietly looked at the bottomless darkness behind the gate and let out a breath.
"What I want to tell you is the real cause of the war," Kessel V's voice was as strong as ever, but a little more sad and depressed, "the invasion of Exeter."
There was silence for a moment behind the iron gate.
"What do you mean?" Val's voice came slowly.
"The rebellion back then was very bad. The entire Blade Territory and half of the South Coast Territory... plus the Barren Bone Tribe and the orcs in the Western Wilderness Territory, one-third of the Star Country was burned in the flames of war," Kessel said calmly,
It seems to be describing a very common thing:
"And after the counter-rebel troops defected... we couldn't even get a ready-made army."
"So your uncle was sent to recruit a new army," Val snorted behind the iron gate: "Star Army."
Kessel nodded, even though he knew Val couldn't see:
"Exeter saw the opportunity, and Nunn VII frequently contacted the Grand Dukes - the invasion of the northern dragon is almost a foregone conclusion. They have set a schedule to recruit troops, and they will go south to the stars in the next spring."
For several seconds, neither of them spoke.
But the Duke of the North soon realized something was wrong.
"Wait a minute, you said spring will start next year?" Val's tone changed:
"Impossible, Exeter invaded in the winter of that year!"
The silence lasted especially long this time.
Kessel sighed deeply.
"Yes, that was their original plan," the king said in the deepest and most indistinct voice from the bottom of his throat: "Because of an accident, they advanced the invasion schedule."
Val's face reappeared behind the gate.
His face was filled with coldness as he stared at Kessel outside the cell.
He realized something was fishy here.
"What accident?" the Duke of the North asked anxiously: "Why did Exeter advance his schedule?"
King Kessel looked at the ground, motionless.
"Answer me." Val gritted his teeth:
"Answer me, Kai!"
Kessel took a deep breath and looked back at his former close friend.
"When we received the intelligence from the North, the entire court was in fear: the rebels, the Bone Tribe, and Exeter—the stars were unable to fight on three sides," Kessel said slowly:
"So, our court came up with a plan."
"Delay Exeter's invasion schedule."
An unprecedented coldness hit Val's heart.
"Delay?" asked the Duke unconsciously.
Kessel nodded expressionlessly and said: "Provoke the conflict between Longxiao City and Black Sand Territory, so that they will be too distracted to take care of themselves and have no intention of invading."
"boom!"
Val suddenly pounced, grabbed the two railings on the gate, gritted his teeth and stared at Kessel: "How to do it?"
"Xingchen sent assassins, mobilized all their forces, and targeted the two heirs of Longxiao City and Black Sand Territory, Suriel Walton and Harold Lombard," Kessel's voice changed.
He became more and more hoarse, as if a force was swallowing up the strength in his strong body:
"That assassin should have blamed the death of one of the heirs on the other party - creating a rift between Longxiao City and Black Sand Territory that can never be repaired."
Hearing this, Val's breathing became heavier and heavier.
"But something unexpected happened."
"For some reason, the assassin was exposed," Kessel said slowly, "and Suriel, Nun's eldest son, is also dead."
Val turned his back and leaned against the iron door, showing no expression.
"Although there is no evidence left, Nunn knows that it was us who did it," Kessel closed his eyes: "What's even worse is that it also exposed our falsehood - telling them that we are unable to resist the northern troops.
Front."
"You all know what happened later," Kessel slowly opened his eyes, his tone full of exhaustion: "Exter advanced the schedule and chose winter, the most unfavorable time for supply transportation, to send troops south.
"
"Horace, with a small force, joined Nantriist and headed for Broken Dragon Fortress... The day after his death, John captured the city of Sodara, the last place occupied by the rebels... Ten days later,
The fortress fell."
"In the spring after the New Year, the Exeter people used the fortress as a foundation and spread over the northern land like a tide."
There was another long silence.
It took so long that even the firelight began to dim.
Until the Duke of the North broke the silence.
"Hahahaha..." Val laughed sadly:
"The assassination plan that was supposed to delay Exeter's attack actually facilitated and advanced their invasion schedule?"
"Hahahahahaha!"
Kessel did not speak, but listened silently to the Duke's laughter.
The Duke finally stopped laughing.
"Who?" came a faint question.
"who!"
Val grabbed the iron door and gritted his teeth sadly: "Who came up with this damn plan!"
King Kessel looked at Val, looking at his expression that was a mixture of pathos, pain, anger, hatred and shock.
The king shook his head:
"Father had no choice."
"The Starlight Legion suffered a defeat at first. John retreated step by step, from the Emerald City to the Fangs, and then all the way out of the Vola Corridor. The rebels even penetrated deep into the Yongxing City."
"No one expected that John could achieve such a reversal of victory in such a short period of time."
"At that time, the entire palace was shrouded in the shadow of national subjugation," Kessel took a deep breath: "That's why there was that assassination."
Val's expression slowly solidified, but his hand holding the cell door continued to tremble.
"If, if there hadn't been this plan, there hadn't been that assassination..." the Duke of the North murmured subconsciously.
Kaiser put his hands on his knees and lowered his head gently: "Yeah."
"If Exeter waits until spring to attack," Kessel's face was slightly distorted. He tried his best to control his neck and nodded with slight trembling: "Now it seems that John's Star Legion will have enough time to go north to support you.
Father and Fortress.”
"The Broken Dragon Fortress will not be breached."
"And neither the Cold Castle nor... will fall."
"There won't be such tragedies in the north."
Val slid down behind the iron door dejectedly.
"boom!"
There was a muffled sound of knees falling on one's knees from behind the iron door.
And the suppressed roar of pain from the Duke of the North.
"You mean..." Val said hoarsely: "You, those bastards in your father's imperial council, their stupid plan... killed thousands of people in the north?"
"Haha... We always thought that Nunn seized the right opportunity to invade and captured the fortress... As a result, hahaha..."
Kessel didn't answer, he just waited quietly.
The flickering firelight illuminated his side face, and the King of Stars' eyes were filled with numbness.
It took quite a while.
"Where is that stupid assassin? The guy who failed in the assassination and exposed himself?" Val's slightly changed voice came from behind the iron door, with deep hatred in his words: "You didn't dig out his heart.
come out?"
Kessel V turned his head and looked at the empty void.
It seemed like there was someone standing there.
silence.
For a moment, there was only the low and suppressed sobs of Val Arend in the air.
Kessel's eyes were full of complicated and incomprehensible emotions.
"right."
"For that failed assassination with serious consequences," after an unknown amount of time, the Supreme King of the Stars, Kessel Bright Star V, looked into the void and slowly said with an emotion that is difficult for ordinary people to understand: "That assassin is paying his dues.
cost."
"He was forever imprisoned behind a cursed mask, never to see the light of day."
The king stared at the place where there was no one, and his voice was extremely silent: "In the endless loneliness and boundless darkness, I have tasted pain and suffered all kinds of torture."