In the not-so-wide hall, the Prince of Stars stood in the center with a calm expression.
Under the illumination of the eternal lamp, Thales looked at the statue of the bright moon in the darkness from a distance, quietly observing the indifferent expression of the goddess of the bright moon.
"Tales," behind him, Little Slippery held his glasses, looked around nervously, and said timidly: "We will just sneak out... Nicolai and the others will..."
"Ah," Thales said calmly, "I know, they are probably already on their way to find you."
Xiao Huantou's face turned pale: "Then let's..."
Thales interrupted her softly.
"Little Slippery," Prince Star looked at the dim goddess of the moon in fascination: "I want to do something, but I need your help."
The little slipper was slightly startled.
"What's going on?" she asked curiously.
Thales didn't speak, he just lightly clenched his fist.
"You have read a lot, but do you know what we went through last night?"
Xiao Huantou's face froze slightly.
She lowered her head, remembering everything in the Palace of Heroes and the Shield Zone, and clenched her teeth unconsciously.
Alex's hand dropped helplessly.
King's ring.
The unbridled laughter of disaster.
The civilians ran and howled and died of despair.
After a second, the little slipper blinked his red eyes and nodded silently.
Thales turned his head, looked at the little slippery figure, and showed a soft smile.
"That soldier just now, Willow Ken, do you know his story?"
The little slippery man showed doubts and shook his head.
"He was originally a commoner in the north. Although he was not rich, he had a lovely sister and healthy parents." Thales thought of the story in the snow and said in a daze: "But just twelve years ago,
In winter, he suddenly learned to fish, how to use a gun, how to survive hard, and how to bear the death of his relatives."
The little slippery head was slightly startled.
"It's not just them." Thales sighed.
"The veteran named Gennard was probably a civilian when he was young, but it was twelve years ago that he became what he is now." Thales squinted his eyes, thinking of the veteran who struggled to follow along.
He lamented, "As far as he is concerned, he is still living in the years of continuous war. He cannot wake up and does not want to wake up."
"The eldest sister named Miranda, twelve years ago, her family suffered all casualties, and she spent her childhood in the Tower of the End."
Thales raised his head and looked directly at the confused little slippery head.
"It's not just the stars," the second prince said lightly: "Byrne Michael."
Little Huatou thought of something and suddenly turned pale.
"Don't be afraid," Thales stepped forward, held her little hand, feeling the coldness and trembling in his palm, and said sincerely: "I'm here, no one can hurt you."
Little Hua Tou's breathing slowly calmed down.
"But you have heard with your own ears that twelve years ago, he lost his oath to protect and the love of his life. From then on, he fell into the boundless hell, lingering and struggling endlessly."
Thales looked at her quietly.
"There is also Charmaine Lombard," Thales' eyes darkened: "Twelve years ago, his hands were stained with the blood of his brother. In the whirlpool of his father's generation and power, he transformed into the current Grand Duke of Black Sand."
Thales, with a serious expression, let go of the girl's hand, but held her shoulders.
The little slippery boy could only look at him blankly.
"Look, the fate of so many people has been decided in this way." Thales' voice was a little intermittent, sometimes light and sometimes heavy, "It's all just because of that incident twelve years ago."
The little slipper took a breath and looked back into the prince's gray eyes: "The Year of Blood?"
Thales looked at her seriously and nodded:
"The Year of Blood."
The little slippery man struggled with his eyes, and nodded his chin slightly in confusion.
Thales first closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
Then, he opened his eyes and said seriously with an unprecedented solemn expression since he came to this world:
"Little slippery head."
"What we saw and heard tonight is not just a family drama between a few people, but a major event concerning the future of tens of millions of people in two major countries."
Thales looked seriously at the girl's blank eyes behind her glasses.
He gritted his teeth.
At that second, the "Potemkin Village" he saw after leaving the royal capital appeared in front of his eyes. The majestic star-shaped fortress Broken Dragon Fortress appeared in front of his eyes. The Northland villagers in the pass village appeared. The village at Lyman Pass appeared.
The Black Stone - the place where Horace died.
"There may be tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, or millions of people changing their destinies as a result," Thales said with difficulty: "No, countless people's destinies have already changed in Longxiao City, and many people even
We have reached the end.”
Thales lowered his eyelids and said sadly: "Like Alex, like the shield zone we walked through."
"Like ourselves."
The little slipper was stunned for a second.
"If we just walk away and leave everything behind," Thales sighed, feeling his chest heavy: "That kind of burden will make me feel breathless."
The little slipper bit his lower lip.
"Thousands of people were tortured and displaced." Thales tried his best to show an ugly smile: "That is too uncomfortable."
His hands holding Little Hua Tou's shoulders trembled slightly: "We can't leave, we can't escape..."
The little slipper sniffed his nose slightly and interrupted him.
"I know," the girl opened her lips with difficulty, her platinum blonde hair particularly conspicuous: "You want me..."
With a sad look on her face, she didn't say anything and seemed to be hesitating.
Thales swallowed and nodded: "I want to make up for all this, avoid the worst consequences, and repair the wounds we left - whether it is our responsibility or not." 4
The little slippery man thought about something and turned pale.
"I understand, what you need is not a little slick guy." She trembled and looked at Thales in disbelief: "What you need is Thelma Walton."
"You want me to become her, your Majesty's...granddaughter."
At that moment, Xiao Huantou's eyes turned red.
Thales paused for a moment and couldn't speak anymore.
He lowered his head and remembered the conversation between the two in the butcher's shop.
【Choose who you want to be.】
but now……
Thales gritted his teeth tightly, feeling that his tongue was extremely heavy.
"No," a second later, he raised his head suddenly and stared straight into Little Slippery's eyes: "What I need is still Little Slippery, not Selma!"
The little slipper's eyes widened with surprise.
"That little slippery little girl who has been with me through all the disasters and never left me," Thales said seriously every word: "That silly little girl, that little girl who doesn't know how to hide when encountering danger."
"I need her to accompany me for another ride." Thales looked at her silently, his eyes soft.
"Although this request may be excessive."
Little Hua Tou stared at him blankly, seeming to have forgotten to think.
"I know you're scared," Thales put his hand on Little Slippery's shoulder and clenched his fist unconsciously: "I know you want to escape from all this."
"but……"
Thales's face became distorted, but after just a few seconds, he raised his eyes again and looked directly into Little Slippery's eyes.
"Lift your head and face it like you would a dragon."
The little slippery man didn't answer.
She just looked at Thales with tears in her eyes.
After a few seconds, tears fell from her eyes uncontrollably.
"There is no such drama in the books," the little slipper said with two lines of tears in his eyes, "I don't know at all..."
She bit her mouth, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Thales sighed in his heart.
"Maybe there is," Thales said softly, "It's just that we don't know."
The little slipper sniffed.
"If it really isn't," Thales sighed and moved his hands to her head, "that would be better."
Thales stretched out his fingers and gently wiped away her tears.
Then he held her black-rimmed glasses and used gentle force to straighten them, which were crooked and full of damage.
He looked at the little slippery man with a solemn expression and solemn tone.
"After reading so many books and reading so many other people's stories, it's time for you... to write your own story."
The little slipper sobbed subconsciously
The girl looked at Thales with a dazed expression and a blank look in her eyes.
It was as if he was flipping through a randomly found book, rather than looking at a boy with a determined expression.
After a few seconds, the little slipper pursed his lips, and then slowly opened them.
Just listen to her whisper: "Will you always be by my side?"
"Yes." He nodded.
Her eyes lit up: "Will you face this with me?"
"I will." He smiled.
Her expression changed and she gritted her teeth: "You will protect me."
He sighed, raised his head forward, and touched her forehead.
They looked at each other through their glasses.
The boy spoke softly, with a decisive tone:
"Will do."
At this moment, Thales heard footsteps behind him.
He gently let go of the dazed little slipper's head and turned to the visitor.
"You'd better have a good explanation, little prince," the pale and stern face of the Fallen Star appeared in front of him, with a bad look and a harsh tone: "About the kidnapping of the Walton bloodline..."
Seri Nicolai cast his eyes at the little slipper who was bowing his head in deep thought: "Come back with us, you shouldn't have any more contact with this dangerous prince, madam."
The little slipper pursed his lips and hid behind Thales.
Nicolai frowned.
Thales took a deep breath and looked up at Nicolai.
And Michael behind him.
Thales ignored the Faller and said softly to Michael: "Lord Michael, I'm sorry, I'm still used to calling you Lord."
Michael, who looked depressed, was slightly startled.
Nicolai was slightly stunned.
"Why did you come back to help the Walton family?" Thales looked at Michael calmly: "You are no longer an official. I remember that King Nunn has exiled you forever."
Michael's expression turned sad and desperate.
His muscles tensed unconsciously.
"In the eyes of King Nuen, you are the sinner who killed his son, aren't you." The prince said calmly: "He took your child away for this... He treated you this way, and you should treat him fairly.
"
Michael was shocked.
Nicolai looked at his former colleagues and his expression changed.
"Hey, you, little prince," Meteorite said decisively: "If you..."
But someone interrupted him, and it wasn't Thales.
"Yes."
Michael raised his head tremblingly, his eyes burning with strange and complex emotions.
"But that's his opinion," he said painfully: "But I will always belong to the White Blade Guards, and my duty is to be loyal to the king."
The former officer gritted his teeth.
"No matter how he treats me."
Thales's eyes lit up.
Michael's hands were trembling, as if he was remembering many things from the past.
"That has never changed."
"I've done my duty, that's all."
Finally, the former officer gritted his teeth and looked back at Thales firmly.
Nicolai looked at his comrades blankly.
Thales smiled slightly.
"Not only that," the prince said softly, "it's also because of Prince Suril, right - you always feel guilty for him."
Michael shook slightly.
"It must be uncomfortable," Thales observed his expression, lowered his head and sighed slowly: "You try your best to do something, but fate is playing tricks on you - you made a big mistake and committed a big crime.
.”
"But it can't be undone."
Michael tilted his head and closed his eyes, his expression struggling.
"So you want to make amends," Thales said regretfully, "You want to atone for your sins."
Nicolai took a step forward impatiently: "That's enough."
"I don't know why you are saying all this meaningless nonsense, but..."
At this moment, Thales suddenly raised his head, his eyes sharp!
"Because this is what we are facing now!" Thales interrupted Nicolai almost with a roar.
The Fallen Star was stunned. He looked at the Prince of Stars with a confused expression on his face.
Thales panted slightly, trying to calm his sore throat.
"Look around us," he gritted his teeth: "King Nun's skull blood is sprinkled on his own land, Lombard walks majestically in Dragon Sky City, his palms cover the sky of the North, Kashan
, Shless Kaslan smiled at us in the dark."
Nicolai listened to Thales' words silently.
But his eyes were filled with anger.
"Wars and disasters are coming, and they are about to kill countless people and destroy countless people," Thales exhaled with difficulty: "And we are like bereaved dogs, tired of running for our lives and fleeing in panic."
"Hide in the corner and comfort yourself - 'This is the only way to do it', and then sleep peacefully, as if nothing had happened in the dream."
Michael sighed and looked panicked.
Nicolai clenched his fists.
"Humph," he snorted coldly: "Thanks to your secret science."
Thales ignored him and just shook his head with sharp eyes: "But, is this all?"
Nicolai frowned.
"Is this the end?" The prince raised his hands and waved them vigorously in the air: "Are you willing to do this?"
"Nicolai, Fallen Star?"
He called Nicolai by his nickname without restraint.
Nicolai's face was sullen, his nails dug into his palms, and he finally blew out a puff of air from his nose.
"Then what the hell do you want to do?" The Fallen Star gritted his teeth and said bitterly, "Poor little prince?"
Thales raised his head, his expression solemn and serious.
"I want to change, I want to redeem," he said seriously, "I want to do something."
"I want to fight back."
Nicolai's eyes narrowed, he lowered his head and looked at the prince silently.
A few seconds later.
"Ha," Nicolai laughed out loud, with a sarcastic look on his face: "It's very humorous."
Thales narrowed his eyes.
"Just laugh." The prince said softly.
"But this is my decision," Thales said firmly and without doubt: "And what I will do next is just to inform you."
"Do you want to come together?"
"Northlander?"
When Michael heard this, his expression changed.
Nicolai's face froze.
"Let me tell you, this is really not a good idea."
A calm and mature male voice came.
"If this is the reason why you summoned us, Your Highness." Putilai appeared in their sight with Rolf, Wyatt, Willow, Gennard and others.
The deputy nodded slightly to the prince.
His eyes were full of worry.
Thales turned to his envoy attachés.
"Putilai."
Thales breathed a sigh of relief and his expression softened a little: "You have come with me along the way and witnessed so many things. I am very grateful."
"Without your strategies and suggestions, I wouldn't be where I am today."
Putilai frowned and wanted to take out his pipe, but put his hand down halfway.
He looked at Thales with extremely complicated eyes.
"Do you know what you are talking about?" Mr. Deputy Envoy hesitated and said with deep meaning: "I know you are unwilling, but I have an obligation to persuade you to give up your unwise decision."
Thales forced himself to laugh twice.
"thank you."
But no matter how hard he tried, his laughter still sounded forced and miserable.
"But I don't want to disappoint them."
Putilai raised his eyes slightly: "Who?"
"Many people." Thales seemed to be in a daze, and he subconsciously said:
"Do you remember Putilai, Wyatt, and Rolf?"
"Remember, most of the private soldiers of Bright Star died in the birch forest, killed by the claws of the vampires and the conspiracy of the nobles?"
"Do you still remember that Baron Mu rushed into the enemy camp with me on his back? Remember that the guards of Kingdom's Wrath sacrificed countless lives in front of the fortress?"
Thales clenched his fists unconsciously, and countless figures flashed before his eyes: "They are all trying to send me into Exeter's territory."
"To eliminate the scourge of war."
"To stop those scum who cheer for war but are extremely indifferent to life."
"For a stable kingdom of stars."
Putilai lowered his head and let out a long sigh.
"What I remember are the White Blade Guards, those many people whom I have never met but who sacrificed their lives for me." Thales came back to his senses.
"As well as Longxiao City, as well as those people in the north who will be implicated by our failure, and the people who will be annihilated again because of war in the future."
"We can't protect ourselves," Putilai unconsciously pinched the three fingers of his right hand as if holding a pipe: "Any impulsive behavior may lead to falling into the dangerous situation that we finally escaped from again, turning the situation into a dangerous situation.
Worse."
Thales looked at his mentor quietly, remembering the scene when they first met beside the carriage.
Oh, no, it was the second meeting - their first meeting was at the West City Gate, and the beggars took the access certificate to the Great Library from Putilai.
Thales smiled.
"But we can't get any worse, can we?"
He said softly:
"Don't forget, I am the murderer of King Nun."
Putilai's expression condensed.
"We have ruined the kingdom's hard-won peace and pushed it into the abyss of war." The second prince shrugged and smiled mockingly: "As you said, when I return to the royal capital,
It’s time for the people from the North to move south in large numbers.”
"The fortress will be burned, the land will be trampled, and human lives will be harvested like straw."
"Thousands of people will curse all of our names."
When recruit Willow heard this, he trembled slightly.
Thales shook his head slightly: "And when we lose the North and our biggest barrier, soon I will face a fragile kingdom full of mourners, bruised and bruised, and in danger for the rest of my life."
"I will become a mediocre and mediocre king, guarding the weak country, waiting for the day when the name of the stars ends in my hands," Thales concluded sadly:
"As the king of a subjugated country..."
"What was the last emperor of the ancient empire feeling like before his death?"