The next morning, on the flat and wide Gift Avenue, the prince's escort team was more than doubled in length due to the addition of soldiers from the Bozdov family.
"Don't pay attention to Count Bozdorf's attitude," Dele rode beside Thales:
"He was one of the leaders in taking back the Blade Tooth Camp. He was very unhappy with what happened in the past few days, so he showed his dissatisfaction on his face."
Not happy?
Thales thought silently.
Showed on face?
Dude, you probably haven't gotten along with the Northlanders. When they are unhappy, it usually shows on their swords.
He could only laugh at himself in this way.
"Please don't anger Paul," Earl of Wingburg turned to look at the taciturn Paul Bozdov, who was a few steps behind them. "Having such a strong and aggressive father, he is having a hard time."
Thales smiled and nodded, but sighed in his heart.
Speaking of which, such a strong and aggressive father...
Well, he felt this very deeply.
"At least," Dele turned around and looked at the fluttering nine-pointed star flag on a horse behind him that was rolled up and tightly packed as soon as Earl Black Lion disappeared, and sighed:
"At least Paul is easier to talk to than his father."
The two were silent for a while.
But the next second, Thales suddenly spoke:
"So, what Count Bozdorf said, about the Duke of Xihuang 'treating everyone like this'..."
"is that true?"
As if someone blew out the lights, the color between the prince and the count suddenly dimmed.
Amid the sounds of horseshoes and orders, Dele was silent for a long time before slowly speaking.
"Let me put it this way, Your Highness."
"In the Kingdom of Stars, compared with the Northern Territory, where everyone was united, the monolithic cliff land, and the Blade Territory, which shared weal and woe, the local politics of the Western Wilderness... are a bit complicated."
complex.
Thales pondered silently.
A few seconds later, the prince thought of something and said quietly:
"Number of votes."
Dele, who was waiting to explain, was stunned:
"What?"
Thales was in a daze and said:
"Although it was just a joke yesterday, I think about it now."
The prince spoke slowly:
"In the national meeting six years ago, when the six powerful families and the thirteen noble families voted to decide whether to recognize my identity, whether it was the Northern Territory, the Cliff Land or the Blade Territory, every earl's vote in these territories was theirs.
The Duke is looking forward to it."
"But only Xihuang, only your three votes..."
"Both you and Count Bozdorf voted no."
"And Duke Falkenhauser voted in favor."
After listening to his words, Dele Croma's expression changed.
The young Earl of Wing Castle coughed awkwardly.
"It was forced by the situation at that time. I hope you don't have any grudges."
Thales looked at his expression and smiled:
"of course not."
"I just...understood something."
The prince stared straight at the Earl of Wingburg.
"In the High Noble Council back then, on the Nineteen Stone Seat, the decisions of the three families of Xihuang... were not consistent."
Dele's face became increasingly ugly.
Their team turned a corner, and Thales' thoughts returned to the past.
At the national conference that year, the final vote on whether Thales could become the official second prince was ten in favor, eight against, and one abstention.
The pro-royal party turned the tide of the battle with a slight advantage of one vote.
The three major families in the Eastern Sea Territory, headed by the fat Duke Cullen, all voted in favor at the last moment.
But now that I think about it...
Cliff Land, Northern Territory, South Coast, Western Wasteland, Blade, East China Sea... Thales thought of the voting situation of the nineteen nobles back then, and suddenly understood many things.
The prince frowned.
According to the order of voting and the results of the votes...
Back then, the man who really held the key vote and turned the situation around with a single move made Thales finally become the second prince...
Not Duke Cullen.
After passing an intersection with different gradients, their progress on the gallop began to gradually speed up.
"Please don't misunderstand," Dele adjusted his sitting posture and took a deep breath before the wind in front of him increased:
"The lords of the Western Wilderness still respect the four-eyed skull emblem."
His expression was a little heavy:
"It's just that in recent years, my noble peers, especially people like Count Bozdorf, feel that the Duke is more or less... content with the status quo."
Dele's eyes became sharp:
"This is especially true after the Desert War when it concerns the royal family."
"For example, this time's Blade Tooth Camp."
Count Chroma chooses his words carefully:
"The vassals were quite critical of his negative decision of not paying attention beforehand and his conservative attitude of cleaning up the mess afterwards."
Thales was silent.
Be content with the status quo.
Negative decision-making.
Conservative attitude.
The second prince couldn't help but think of Cyril's words again:
You know, when your vassals and subordinates are excited and their opinions are high, standing in front of the wave, you don't have much choice but to follow the trend.
Did he also say these words to others?
"No."
As the Mercedes-Benz accelerated, Thales tightened his grip on the horse's belly.
He stared intently at the smooth and solid road surface of the Gift Avenue, watching them fly backwards one foot at a time, and said firmly:
"Perhaps this is the Duke's unique way of defending the Western Wilderness."
When these words came out, Dele beside him was silent for a long time.
The two men, each thinking deeply, followed the team in a tacit understanding, letting the horses gallop without making a sound.
It wasn't until a minute later that the mount began to slow down along with the team that Dele sighed with emotion and looked at the distant wilderness:
"It seems Cohen wasn't bragging."
"If I don't come to see you, I will definitely regret it."
Thales smiled. He was about to say thank you, but he didn't react immediately.
But after a few seconds...
"Cohen?"
Thales raised his head subconsciously, slightly surprised:
"You, you know Cohen?"
"Cohen Big Fool Karabyan?"
Count Chroma turned back to look at the prince, his expression warming up.
"I'm not sure when Cohen got such a fancy middle name."
Dele rolled his eyes, showing nostalgia and smile:
"But yes, Cohen is my cousin. He and I grew up together in Wallaland."
"His mother is my father's sister and my biological aunt."
Thales summed it up.
Cohen’s mother was Dele’s aunt…
"Karabyan and Croma."
The twin tower swords and the single-winged raven.
Walla Neck and Wing Castle.
The prince suddenly said:
"I see, your two families are related by marriage."
Earl Yibao smiled slightly and nodded.
"So, how did Cohen tell you about me?"
The next second, Thales suddenly noticed that Dele's expression became a little stiff.
Count Chroma coughed harshly, and continued speaking with difficulty under the prince's encouraging gaze.
"Six years ago, Cohen first mentioned you to me in correspondence."
Dele recalled as he spoke, with a strange tone in his tone:
"Cohen said, well, he, he was heartbroken, and then he took a leave to go sightseeing in the north..."
"Then overnight, I happened to encounter a great and glorious adventure. Following an extremely intelligent prince, he bravely entered the Palace of Heroes, fought in Longxiao City at night, defended the Hall of Heroes, fought against the Northlanders, and fought against legends.
, facing the enemy in the Gongji Realm, feeling the horror of disaster, witnessing the arrival of the dragon, surviving the mutiny of traitors and traitors, being unforgettable betrayal by his companions, sneaking into the ranks of the White Blade Guards, and encountering the assassination and change of the king.
, watched the Grand Duchess ascend to the throne, bravely marched forward in the north where powerful enemies were everywhere, saved the stars on the verge of the kingdom being in danger, and ultimately protected the lives and health of tens of millions of people..."
Thales' eyebrows twitched when he heard this.
"That's the general idea of the whole text. The original text is a bit...well, wordy." The count became more and more helpless as he spoke.
However, even Thales could sense that the other person was rambling incoherently because of his excitement and enthusiasm, almost revealing the embarrassment of confusion on paper.
"In the end, Cohen complained that although the secret service came to him at night to warn him not to leak state secrets, his boss just didn't believe him and refused to reimburse him for vacation and travel expenses... So I hope I can understand him..."
Dele pondered for a while:
"When I received the letter, I was still thinking that maybe he had indeed been single for too long. You know, conjectures and hallucinations..."
"I mean, yes, Your Highness, you are indeed young and smart, but... Northland? Exter? So many things... I doubt it..."
Dele stopped talking and looked directly at Thales:
"Until now."
Thales hesitated for a second, then smiled politely and awkwardly.
Well, how to put it.
Cohen.
you……
Awesome.
It's not easy to confuse the fake with the real.
But on the other hand, if you want to be like Young Master Karabyan, you can naturally and without showing any trace, and tell the truth as if it is false...
It’s also a test of your skills.
After a while, Thales squeezed his fake smile back deep into his muscles and coughed:
"Um, is Cohen okay?"
Dele smiled:
"I guess so."
"He is still in the security department of the royal capital, doing a job that most nobles cannot understand, including my aunt and uncle."
Dele shrugged helplessly:
"You must know that they have been worrying about his marriage for more than ten years. My aunt is afraid that he will marry his classmate, the warrior girl of the Arlende family, back home."
Thales raised his eyebrows.
"Miranda?"
The prince chuckled:
"Oh, no, that's impossible."
Dele exhaled:
"Yes, I know that Miss Allende is probably the person Cohen fears most."
"That boy said that he always had the illusion that he would suddenly become stupid in front of Miss Arend."
Thales smacked his lips and thought about the way Miranda and Cohen got along.
Well, that is indeed an illusion.
Because he definitely didn't "suddenly" become stupid.
"But more than ten years have passed, and my aunt no longer cares so much," Dele shook his head, with amusement and helplessness at the same time:
"Now, as long as Cohen is willing to get married, she doesn't care whether the other party is a soldier, as long as she is a woman."
Thales and Dele looked at each other and smiled knowingly at the same time.
After a while, Dele's voice deepened:
"So is that true?"
"Cohen said that he, well, he fought against the Burning Knight in the Palace of Heroes for three hundred rounds with the legendary anti-demon armed force, and fought bloody and bloody battles?"
Fire Knight...
Three hundred rounds of battle...
The prince had a headache:
"Well, my attendant can testify that the beating should have been done, but it was three hundred rounds..."
Thales did not say any more and just smiled.
Dele's eyes moved and he nodded understandingly.
"So, he said that he faced the Scarlet Witch, who is as famous as Lord Hanson, and faced her persuasion to surrender. In a desperate situation, he would rather die than surrender without being humble or arrogant?"
Facing the Scarlet Witch...
Neither humble nor arrogant, I would rather die than surrender...
The prince was stunned and blinked:
"Ah, what should I say about this? It's basically not the Scarlet Witch's turn to persuade her to surrender. He is the one..."
This time, before Thales could say anything more, the understanding earl raised his eyebrows thoughtfully:
"I understand."
"Then he said that he faced the legendary warrior with an eternal sword, the invincible 'Earth-shaking' Kaslan, and fought to the death, punching to the flesh, at the expense of an arm..."
Fight to the death...
Thales twitched his lips in embarrassment:
"He, hehe, that..."
Once again, when Thales was still hesitating about what words to use, Dele raised his eyebrows very understandingly:
"oh"
Seeing the count's expression of sudden realization, Thales suddenly felt guilty for betraying Cohen.
its not right.
Obviously what I said is the truth!
But Dele's next words made Thales' heart sink:
"Then... the dragon?"
Thales was silent for a while, and the old scene reappeared in his mind:
"real."
Dele's eyebrows trembled.
"Oh," Count Chroma narrowed his eyes and said rather seriously:
"This explains why in that month six years ago, all the messenger crows passing by the north were late. The legend is true: the dragon spreads its wings and the sky is closed for thousands of miles."
Dele said softly:
"So...disaster?"
This time, Thales' face was as sinking as water and he lowered his head.
He didn't speak, just gritted his teeth and remained silent for a long time.
Dele looked at the prince and did not ask any further questions.
"Humph," the count shook his head and sighed:
"You know, the first Earl of Wing Castle left a record to record the disasters he had seen. But several generations of my family believed that those were just the last words of an old man."
Dele was silent for a while.
"So, King Nuen was killed by disaster?"
Thales raised his head and seemed to see the dawn with thousands of arrows firing in front of his eyes.
And the bloody head wearing a crown rolled to his feet.
"Assassin's Flower, Little Sariton, Locust Blade."
The prince said firmly:
"And Charmaine Lombard."
Dele took a gentle breath.
The air became so quiet that the only sound I could hear was the sound of horse hooves.
The count slowly raised his head.
"You are tired, Your Highness."
"Perhaps many people don't believe it, and even more people don't know," Dele sighed deeply, his eyes heavy but extremely serious:
"But I want to say..."
"The whole kingdom..."
"I acknowledge your kindness."
Thales gritted his teeth and forced a smile.
"Thank you," the prince nodded stiffly:
"Count Chroma."
But Dele shook his head.
"Dele," Earl Yibao first showed a warm and friendly smile to the young man, and then extended his right hand, as if this was his first time to formally introduce himself:
"this is my name."
Thales paused for a moment.
He took a deep look at Dele and then smiled.
"Of course, Dele."
The second prince sincerely stretched out his right hand and shook it with Dele:
"Tiles."
Their eyes met in the air and they nodded to each other.
Dele let go of the prince's right hand, but his conversation suddenly changed.
"From the perspective of the Western Wilderness nobles, Thales, I know how Fuxing Palace views us, and I know what we are facing, and I also know your sensitive and embarrassing situation."
Dele looked at Thales seriously.
Thales also looked back at him seriously.
"On a normal day, I might have said something special, something like 'Xihuang will not be your enemy, and the people of Xihuang are not' or anything like that."
Dele sighed:
"But you are Cohen's friend."
Dele's expression was a little sad and helpless:
"And from the perspective of his cousin, from the perspective of a friend, I must remind you, Thales."
The next moment, Dele lowered his head slightly and popped out a few words between his teeth that seemed to be more precious than gold and weaker than mosquitoes and flies:
"Be careful, Lord Cyril."
What?
Thales thought about the name for a moment, then frowned.
"You mean Duke Falkenhaus?"
"What's the meaning?"
Dele was silent for a few seconds before speaking in a low voice:
"The Duke is good at manipulating people's hearts, even those who don't like him."
Manipulating people's hearts?
Thales was stunned for a second.
The first thing he thought of was the Scarlet Witch in the North.
But……
Cyril Falkenholz?
Persona non grata?
"Count Bozdorf said that the Duke is equally ambiguous to everyone, remains neutral and never takes sides." Dele's expression at this moment was unprecedentedly serious, as if he was facing a formidable enemy:
"That may be because Sir Cyril, the Lord of the Western Wasteland, wants him to think so."
Duke of Xihuang...
You want him to think so?
Thales was stunned.
It must be admitted that from the first minute they met, Dele gave him the impression of being cautious, thoughtful, decent in dealing with things, and never transgressing the rules.
But now...
"And if Count Bozdorf does not like Lord Cyril," Dele said to him coldly:
"That's probably because the Duke wants him to dislike him."
Thales took a breath in a daze:
"Then, the reason why the Duke is 'unpopular'..."
Dele nodded, lowered his voice, and took over the second half of the sentence:
"Because he doesn't want to be popular."
Thales looked at Dele blankly.
He suddenly felt that the person in front of him was different.
Wait, if this is true.
The impression Duke Falkenhauser gave him was also...
"Tiles, you may know that for historical reasons, my family has considerable experience in taming ravens."
Dele spoke again.
Thales tried his best to turn his attention to the present:
"Um, yes?"
The Earl of Yibao said cautiously:
"A few months ago, His Majesty reached an agreement with the lords of the Western Wilderness. We will send troops to the Freedom Alliance to force Exeter, so as to rescue you and return home."
"Yes." Thales replied subconsciously.
Dele's eyes became sharp:
"On the week when we reached an agreement with His Majesty, my crow whistle detected several long-distance messenger crows flying north across the border."
The week the deal was struck…
Flying north over the border…
The messenger crow from afar...
Thales frowned:
"What's the meaning?"
Dele was silent for a few seconds and then said quietly:
"Those messenger crows fly extremely high in the sky, are extremely alert, and are also good at hiding. Even with the ability of crow whistles and light cavalry, they almost missed them."
"That's not a postal crow that travels between two places with a fixed route, a dull mind, and simple training."
"Rather, we prefer military intelligence crows who are strictly bred, smart and flexible, know the way and recognize their masters when ordered. They are difficult to tame and expensive. Only big lords with strong financial resources can afford them."
Military intelligence crow...
It’s expensive…
Great lord...
Thales's face changed slightly.
"Tiles, there is someone from escape to return," Dele said in a heavy tone:
"Someone from this side of the stars leaked information about you to the people in the North."
"I guess that's why your return trip was full of surprises."
Leaked my information...
The journey home is full of surprises...
Thales' breathing stopped for a moment.
At that moment, the figure of King Charman suddenly appeared in front of his eyes.
And the other party's risky move of suddenly visiting Longxiao City just to see him.
No way……
The prince raised his eyes alertly:
"You mean, Duke Falkenhauser?"
Dele shook his head:
"Can not be sure."
"But, Thales, not everyone."
Dele narrowed his eyes and spoke in a cold tone, which made Thales clenched his fists:
"Not everyone in this country welcomes your return."
At this moment, on the galloping road ahead, several Crow Whistle Qingqi quickly ran back, bringing a nervous message amidst the endless dust.
"alert!"
"Sentinel contact! Multiple cavalry!"
What?
Dele and Thales looked at each other and frowned.
The entire team of "Head Crow" immediately stopped advancing, and hundreds of cavalrymen rode in unison, with hooves rolling and horses honking.
Everyone took action, and many crow whistles rushed forward to surround the two important figures.
"Count Dreux!"
Paul also rode his horse and came from behind. The heir of Heroic Soul Castle looked solemn:
Earl Danyibao looked calm:
"Don't be nervous. Crow Whistle is an elite reconnaissance team. This is just the first summons to prove that the other party is at least several miles away."
"They will confirm the identity soon."
Their confident questions and answers were mixed in with the sound of countless horse hooves, which made Thales feel at ease.
Soon, the second and third summons came, and the new news made the three nobles more and more heavy:
"Twenty-five riders! No flag! Unidentified! Refuse to respond!"
"Between light cavalry and heavy cavalry, well-equipped and skilled!"
"The Sentinel Crow's reward: more troops behind them! More cavalry and infantry! Hundreds and thousands!"
More?
Hundreds or thousands?
Thales was shocked.
Dele and Paul looked at each other, their expressions getting darker and darker.
"Who would lead the army to approach the prince at this time?" Paul said coldly:
"Do we need to gather the main force?"
"Hold on," Dele responded steadily:
"This number does not exclude the possibility that they are our Xingchen's own troops."
"Let the twenty-odd horses come over first, then everything will be clear."
Our troops.
Thales pursed his lips tightly.
But he couldn't help but think of what Dele had just said:
In this country, not everyone welcomes your return.
Not everyone…
The prince's heart sank.
No way.
Please, he has already entered the interior of the stars and embarked on the road of grace. Don't let any more accidents happen!
Normally, Thales would always worry about whatever he was worried about.
This time, damn fate seemed to hear his worries again.
A few minutes later, there was the sound of horse hooves, and the uninvited guests arrived in front of them under the surveillance of the surrounding crow sentries.
Dele's Crow Whistle was right.
This is a group of twenty-five cavalrymen. Their logos and emblems are all covered in dust-proof cloaks that are common in the Western Wilderness. However, it is vaguely visible that these people have strong muscles and sharp eyes. They all ride tall horses with pure and bright coats that are rare in the Western Wilderness.
, there were bulging bags under his cloak, obviously he had weapons with him.
The arrival of these cavalry made the atmosphere in the prince's team extremely tense:
The other party stopped silently and neatly in front of the gallop, looking coldly at the crow whistles on this side.
"Who are they? Our own people?" Thales asked doubtfully.
Dele stared at the uninvited guests and nodded:
"We'll find out."
"Dele," Paul looked at the group of cavalry who looked untouchable and frowned:
"Do you need me to summon the Black Lion Infantry Regiment in the rear?"
But Earl Yibao just shook his head.
The next second, Dele urged his horse forward and spoke in a loud voice:
"Everyone who comes has a name!"
In a few tenths of a second, a knight led the crowd out in silence and came to the front of the Crow Guard's formation.
Along the way, the team of twenty-five riders made no discordant noises.
This outstanding knight has chestnut hair and a soft face. Although he has stubble on his chin, he looks to be only in his thirties, not much older than Dele.
And his calm brown eyes seemed to be always calm and peaceful.
"I was still thinking that maybe you would recognize me, Count Chroma, but now it seems that I am still hoping too much," the chestnut-haired knight stopped his mount. He sighed slightly, seeming a little regretful:
"We, um, six years ago, we met in the palace."
Dele frowned slightly.
"I don't remember seeing you."
In the palace six years ago? What did Thales think of?
The chestnut-haired knight smiled lightly and waved to the blond knight next to him, and his every move was elegant and natural:
"At least recognize Doyle, his family is related to you..."
As soon as these words came out, Thales had no reaction, but Paul's expression on the side changed:
"Doyle Dele, that is one of the seven families..."
Dele shook his head coldly:
"That's just what he said. Who knows if it's a disguise."
After saying this, Earl Yibao turned his head and asked:
"Knight, why are you here?"
The chestnut-haired knight looked at each other and his companions, then turned back and replied:
"We are here under orders to greet and escort His Highness Thales."
"I'm grateful for your help, Count, but your mission is over."
"From now on, His Highness the Prince will be solely responsible for us."
He still looked calm and calm.
Escort me?
Or kidnap me?
The prince rolled his eyes. He suppressed the uneasiness in his heart and began to look at the chestnut-haired knight carefully.
The chestnut-haired knight lifted the reins and moved forward on the horse with an elegant posture and a calm expression, as if he was strolling in a leisurely garden.
strangeness……
Why do this riding posture and equipment look familiar?
Thales wanted to call Yoder secretly, but there were crow whistles around him, and Dele and Paul were nearby, making it difficult for him to find an opportunity.
hateful!
what is happening?
The next second, Count Dele waved his right hand decisively:
"Win the string!"
The next second, nearly a hundred crow whistle elites from the Croma family in the front row moved at the same time!
They all raised their crossbows and aimed at the chestnut-haired knight in front of them!
Strict and uniform, powerful and powerful.
The look of the knight in front of the formation changed.
Thales, who was still thinking, saw this change and quickly said:
"Dele?"
But before he could say anything more, the chestnut-haired knight in the formation quickly raised his hands and spoke hurriedly:
"Oh, peace, peace!"
The chestnut-haired knight, who was exposed to hundreds of arrows, spoke faster and his expression became a little more serious, but his eyes remained as indifferent as ever.
"Relax, Earl, okay? Relax so you know I'm here for peace."
Although he raised his hand to show weakness, the knight's posture was respectful and appropriate, his words were carefully chosen, and he seemed neither humble nor overbearing.
And as the chestnut-haired knight raised his hand, his cloak lifted up a little.
When Thales looked at the silver-white armor exposed under the opponent's cloak, he still felt that it looked familiar.
But the sharp-eyed Thales also noticed that facing hundreds of crossbows, not only the chestnut-haired knight had an indifferent expression, but even the caped cavalry on his front, back, and left, all looked motionless, looking coldly at the Crow Whistle Qingqiu on the opposite side.
.
It seems commonplace.
"Coming for peace?"
Dele snorted coldly and didn't buy it:
"What about the hundreds of troops hanging behind you? They also come for peace?"
"Behind us" the chestnut-haired knight paused and then understood something.
The knight suddenly realized, looked up at the sky, and nodded in approval:
"Oh, yes, the Croma family, you are raising crows, you have eyes in the sky."
Dele snorted coldly.
"so."
"Who the hell are you!"
The chestnut-haired knight exhaled heavily.
"Okay, okay, you beat the count, who calls me a peaceful person."
The knight smiled slightly, flicked his cloak, and his quiet eyes suddenly became shrewd and sharp.
Just like the strange peaks and ravines shrouded in confusion, the fog instantly dispersed.
"This is Tormund Mallos."
The chestnut-haired knight has a nice voice, an elegant tone, and quite a rhythm:
"The royal knight of the kingdom, the honorary lord of the stars, and your majesty's loyal servant."
Marius raised his eyes, and his gaze passed through the crowd like a charm, and fell accurately on the fourteen-year-old boy among the crowd of crow whistles and light cavalry.
The moment he exchanged glances with the other party, Thales's mind suddenly became excited!
He remembered.
He has indeed seen the equipment on the opponent's body!
But it was six years ago...
exist
Looking at the frowning Thales, Mallos grinned.
"I have been favored by His Majesty and have the trust of my colleagues..."
The knight nodded slightly on his horse and put his right palm in front of his chest to indicate to himself, his etiquette was impeccable:
"As the Royal Guard of the Stars..."
Marius revealed his specially made silver armor and steel sword under his cloak, bowed lightly on his mount, and spoke out a title that was strange yet familiar to Thales: