Gilbert's voice sounded as the carriage moved forward, with some fluctuations.
Thales, who was sitting opposite him, leaned against the wall of the compartment and looked at his teacher, whom he had been separated from for six years, with the same mixed emotions.
"I still remember, little sir, when we parted six years ago, you were just a child..."
Apart from his slightly excited breathing, the other party's posture and etiquette were still decent and elegant, as if they were carved out of a noble mold.
Thales shrugged and smiled
"Maybe more than just kids."
"Of course," Gilbert smiled knowingly
"Of course you are more than just a child."
"However, look at you now," Gilbert stared at him closely, with relief and emotion, unable to stop looking up and down.
"You've grown up."
His voice rises and falls
"At the age of fourteen, according to the standards of the imperial era, you are already a real adult. You can fight with a sword, marry a wife and have children..."
Fourteen years old, fighting, marrying, and having children?
Thales scratched his head
"Well, regarding this, as times change and society progresses, I believe we need to discuss it..."
Looking at him, Gilbert smiled heartily.
The wheels rolled and the two were silent for a while.
Until Gilbert sighed
"So, it's been six years, your highness, how is everything going? How is the north?"
Is everything okay?
How about the north?
Thales imagined many scenarios of reuniting with old friends.
He also imagined how he would add fuel to the fire with them, complaining eloquently about the poor food in the North, the freezing temperature in the Palace of Heroes, the stupid little slicker, the annoying Jinx lady, the stupid Meteor, the cunning Lisban, damn it
The rumba, the gluttonous Ada, the bored eyes of the two attendants quarreling...
He even thought about pouring out all the pain, dissatisfaction and complaints in one go: the strange looks in the eyes of the people in Exeter, the strange aura of the teachers in Beidi, the public and private revenge in the outdoor class, the constant surveillance, the unreasonable searches...
…
But when things come to a head, when the words come to your lips...
"Yeah," Thales put away his memories and smiled brightly.
"You know, the north."
The prince shrugged easily and smiled warmly and calmly.
"It's very...northern."
Gilbert did not answer immediately, but stared at him for a long time, focusing on the young man's sunny smile.
It was like reading something.
"Yes, Your Highness."
After a few seconds, Gilbert answered softly
"Northlanders, Yankees, I've negotiated with them, I know."
"I know."
Gilbert's eyes were calm and gentle, but for some reason, Thales felt like he was under a heavy burden and couldn't bear it.
The carriage became quiet again, and for a moment the only sound was the sound of the horse's hooves outside the carriage.
Thales took another deep breath
"What about you, Gilbert? And Eternal Star City and Star Kingdom? In the past six years?"
After hearing this, Gilbert paused and slowly held the cane.
"Well, as I get older, my horse riding is not as smooth as before. There are more and more people riding in the carriage. Every day, the handwriting of the scribe and secretary is getting bigger and bigger."
Thales listened quietly and looked at Gilbert, who was six years older.
Six years ago, they were sitting in a carriage like this, walking on the way to Fuxing Palace.
Six years later…
Gilbert turned his head and smiled slightly
"Otherwise, same old."
"Working, living, breathing, and waiting..."
He paused for a second and looked into Thales's eyes
"...your return."
Thales froze.
For a moment, he was speechless and a little at a loss.
Gilbert's expression darkened
"I can't imagine how much you suffered at Exeter..."
He stared intently at his cane and used rare rude words.
"Damn Yankee, it was only supposed to be a few weeks, and then you would be back safely in our care, and I remember telling you that everything would be fine, but..."
Thales couldn't bear it
"Gilbert..."
Gilbert leaned on his cane, lowered his head and sighed.
"We have failed in our duties and have caused you to suffer..."
Thales shook his head at him.
But the Foreign Secretary continued, sounding guilty.
"From King Nun to the Disaster, and then to the Black Sand Territory, just reading about it in the letter is thrilling enough, but experiencing it all in person..."
Thales had to interrupt him loudly
"Gilbert!"
Gilbert was slightly shocked and then stopped.
The prince smiled
"Hey, I made it through."
Gilbert looked at him quietly, and then smiled after a few seconds.
"Yes," Xingchen's cunning fox showed his rare tiredness as a prince's teacher.
"You made it through."
"From the north...we made it through."
He nodded slowly, but was obviously absent-minded.
Thales suddenly noticed that Gilbert's energy and concentration were not as good as before.
Feeling the other party's emotional fluctuations, Thales, who was in a complicated mood, had to change the topic.
"So, what about them? Those who stayed in Longxiao City..."
"Putilai, Rolf, and that one...that, that...oh, Ada!"
"And...Waia?"
Hearing this name, Gilbert seemed to wake up suddenly.
"Oh, please don't worry about them, although they still need to stay in Longxiao City for a while..."
"But since the most important thing is that you have returned safely, there is no point in detaining your followers no matter whether it is Longxiao City or Black Sand Territory."
Thales breathed a sigh of relief and nodded.
"Gilbert, make sure," the boy suddenly said after a few seconds.
"Make sure they, make sure your son comes back safe."
The prince raised his head and said seriously
"Without them, I wouldn't have been able to survive until now."
Gilbert was slightly startled.
Thales breathed out
"If necessary, I can write a handwritten letter directly to Grand Duchess Walton. I have some relationship with her..."
Gilbert stared at him quietly, and then smiled, the wrinkles on his face clearly visible.
"Your Highness."
The foreign secretary looked at him with a smile
"They'll be fine."
"As long as you're good."
"And my son definitely knows that."
Thales raised his head, returned the smile and nodded.
Gilbert seemed to realize something. He took a few deep breaths, calmed down his emotions, and returned to his profession, the solemn Foreign Minister, Count Gilbert Cassel, the cunning fox in the stars.
"I have many things to say to you, Your Highness, but..."
The polite smile returned to Gilbert's face
"Now that you have come back, there are too many things to arrange in front of you... The welcome banquet for the prince's return, your complete teaching and advisory team, of course, must take into account the needs of the prince, and must also be in line with the status of the duke.
...Oh, by the way, the dignity of the Duke of Star Lake..."
Thales' face darkened when he heard the last sentence.
"In fact, I was just about to ask about it."
Thales's expression became serious, and even Gilbert subconsciously put away his smile.
"Duke of Star Lake."
The prince chewed on the meaning of this sentence word by word, and looked at his teacher with suspicion.
"Gilbert, what does this mean?"
Gilbert paused for a moment, as if thinking about something. After a few seconds, he smiled slightly.
"Don't worry, Your Highness, this is a good thing."
Gilbert sighed with emotion
"Duke of Star Lake."
He looked out the car window at the wilderness retreating all the way
"In the history of Xingchen, this is an honorary title that belongs exclusively to the Canxing family and is specifically awarded to members of the royal family. Although it is not as sonorous and powerful as the six guardian dukes granted by Fuxing Wang Qin, and has far-reaching influence, the actual power under it is similar to
The fiefdom is also insignificant..."
Gilbert turned around and looked at Thales seriously
"But the meaning it represents is extraordinary."
Thales raised his eyebrows.
At that moment, it was as if the familiar feeling came back.
He does not seem to be sitting in a carriage, driving down the Avenue of Grace.
Instead, he returned to the study in Mindis Hall.
Just listen to Gilbert's iconic steady voice slowly ringing out
"Five hundred years ago, Su Mei II of 'Broken Pulse' named his eldest son Elan the Duke of Star Lake and asked him to start managing the territory and participate in government affairs, and legitimately assist him in handling state affairs."
"Until the death of Sumer II, Prince Elam inherited the throne as a duke and became the 'Ascend King' Elam I."
Broken veins.
Thales listened to the other party's words and searched for what he had learned during his six years in the North. It was a starry history lesson in the eyes of the people in the North.
If I remember correctly, Sumer II was in a fierce confrontation between two stars, and the fisherman finally benefited. The person who ascended the throne, in order for the kingdom not to repeat the mistakes of blood relatives fighting for the throne and fratricide, the inheritance bill he promulgated was truly
The power inheritance system of inheritance by the eldest son and enfeoffment by changing the surname of the youngest son was established.
("Sure enough, we are more advanced. Let's choose the king. Of course we choose the most powerful one. A fight won't solve the problem." The Fallen Starman was doing nothing, folding his arms and listening)
Under his act, many lateral bloodlines with great surnames were forced to leave their homes and change their surnames (it also drove away a large number of cousins who stayed under the complicated branches and leaves of the genealogy for many noble families), and many vassals who were not the eldest son
She hated him so much that she gnashed her teeth, and Su Mei Canxing II also got the nickname "Broken Pulse".
As for the Ascendant King... Thales felt it sounded familiar inexplicably, as if he had just heard it not long ago.
Gilbert's cadence continued
"Since then, half of the bright stars who have been awarded the title of Duke of Star Lake in the past five hundred years have been public or undisclosed crown princes. After the death of the previous king, they wore the nine-star crown and inherited the supreme throne of the stars."
Therefore, the Duke of Xinghu is considered the prerequisite title of the Crown Prince, etc...
Thales, who was still wondering who the Climbing King was, frowned.
"You said, half?"
Gilbert's smile remained the same, as if he had anticipated what he was going to ask.
"The other half, such as the ancestors of the Talon family in Glacier City, and your grandfather's brother, Star War God John Brightstar, serve as the king's closest family members and most trusted assistants, holding great power and assisting in national affairs."
John Shining Star.
Starry God of War.
Thales' heart sank.
He remembered many things, such as in the former Northland, veteran Gennard told him interesting stories about the Duke in the Star Legion, such as in the Prison of Bones, Samir's evaluation of the Duke of Star Lake, such as the Ghost Prince Tower, Xi
Duke Huang told him about John's life experience.
Gilbert seemed to be getting more and more excited as he talked.
"Therefore, Your Highness, as far as the stars are concerned, the Duke of Star Lake will either only grant it to the king's successor as an honorary title before the crown prince inherits the throne..."
"Or grant it to the king's closest family members to show favor and trust, thereby consolidating the rule of the Bright Star family with blood support."
The closest family.
Favor and trust.
Thales coughed slightly and narrowed his eyes.
"But I remember that although in the time of my grandfather Eddie II, the Duke of Star Lake was his brother John, the crown prince he chose was..."
Unexpectedly, Gilbert quickly interrupted him, and his tone was firm and decisive.
"That only proves one thing that your grandfather is willing to believe in John with his life. He believes in his brother as much as he believes in his own heir. He even believes that John can continue to loyally assist the successor king after his death, in the name of Duke of Star Lake.
."
Believe in John with your life.
Believe his brother.
Like trusting your own heir.
For some reason, Samuel's indignant words in prison kept circulating in Thales' mind.
Is it the son who kills his father, or the brother who kills his brother?
Gilbert took a deep breath and still stared at Thales seriously, as if there was no doubt about it.
"And John did not disappoint your grandfather. As the greatest hero in the Year of Blood, the former Duke of Star Lake and his Legion of Stars rebelled in the south and resisted the dragon in the north. In the end, they turned the tide and saved the entire star."
John Shining Star.
The greatest contributor in the Year of Blood.
Conquer rebellion in the south, fight against the dragon in the north.
Turn the tide and save the stars.
Thales recited these words silently, trying hard to suppress the inexplicable chill rising from the bottom of his heart.
"yes."
The prince looked calm and spoke calmly
"Then he died."
Gilbert was startled for a moment.
But the foreign minister was obviously very experienced. He frowned and quickly took over Thales' words.
"...thereby making this title even more noble. During the eighteen years when Star Lake Castle was vacant, people talked about the bloody Duke of Star Lake, and only remembered his tragic loyalty and glorious past."
Listening to the other party's words being perfectly rounded, Thales did not respond this time, but looked at Gilbert for a long time.
At that moment, Thales suddenly remembered the words of Marina, the Sword of Disaster.
Please investigate this matter and find out the truth.
Find out the truth behind the assassination of Duke John in Sodara City during the Year of Blood.
the truth.
Under the prince's eyes, the foreign minister frowned slightly.
He suddenly had the illusion that the students he was once so familiar with had become somewhat unfamiliar.
After a few seconds, Thales turned his gaze
"That's right."
Gilbert secretly breathed a sigh of relief and forgot about the strange feeling in his heart.
"Therefore, being granted this title is a reflection of your majesty's trust and respect. It means that you are no longer a prince who relies on your father's shadow and has no real power but no honor. Instead, you are his majesty's help and have a fiefdom."
He has authority and status, and is the Duke of Xinghu who is equal to and equal to the feudal princes in terms of status."
Having said this, Gilbert looked at Thales with excitement.
"With this status, you can even directly enter the Imperial Council to participate in state affairs and help His Majesty solve problems without being out of the ordinary."
"And in dealings with foreign countries, 'Duke of Star Lake of Star Kingdom' is an even more powerful title, far more powerful than 'Son of King Kessel'."
Thales still didn't speak, just thoughtful.
Perhaps to explain in detail, or perhaps because he was worried about something, Gilbert paused for a few tenths of a second and continued before the smile on his face disappeared.
"And of course, it also declares to all the vassals who have not lost their ambitions. After six years away from the country, your position in His Majesty's heart is still extremely important, and your right to the orthodox succession to the throne is unshakable."
place in His Majesty’s heart.
Thales' face was stunned, but in his heart he shook his head silently.
Okay, this is really debatable.
Although he lacked interest in his heart, Thales still showed a cooperative expression of surprise on his face.
"Wow."
Gilbert seemed to be deceived by his appearance, and the Foreign Minister looked pleased.
"Yes, I know, Your Majesty the Duke," he held his cane tightly and unconsciously changed his title.
"I have been waiting for this day for a long time."
Thales remembered something again and was slightly stunned.
"So just now, Count Croma walked away immediately."
The prince fan looked at Gilbert
"He knows that no matter how close and familiar he is with the prince to the world, and no matter how close the relationship and tacit understanding with me are, it can't be worth the extraordinary title of duke in the kingdom that has been vacant for eighteen years?"
Gilbert paused.
"Maybe, maybe not, but that's their business," sighed the Foreign Secretary.
"The most important thing now is that you will return to Fuxing Palace and your home soon."
Home.
Thales was lost in thought for a moment.
The carriage is still moving steadily, the vast wilderness outside the window and the magnificent scenery show the beauty of the Western Wilderness.
But Thales knew that this was the strange sight he had seen for the first time.
"Home."
Thales murmured
"Is it?"
Looking at the prince's appearance, Gilbert felt a strange feeling in his heart again.
But being good at observing people's emotions, he quickly ignored this topic and turned his attention to Thales' weapons.
"Your Majesty the Duke, this is..."
Gilbert stared at the sword lying next to Thales, his face changing slightly.
Thales came back to his senses and sighed with the same headache.
"Does it look familiar? The sword passed down by the Falkenholz family, 'Warning'," Thales patted the hilt of the sword.
"I have to say, it's a good sword."
Gilbert's eyes narrowed.
The Foreign Secretary's expression was a little heavy
"The ancient imperial sword is not only priceless, but also carries history and is of extraordinary significance. The Duke of Xihuang is too..."
Thales stroked the hilt of the sword and raised his eyebrows
"A little generous?"
Xingchen Sly Fox's expression became serious.
"Given his reputation, yes."
Thales pursed his lips and nodded.
"Then I should hide it so no one else can see it?"
Gilbert shook his head and said
"No, there are too many ways for people to know. For example, if Duke Falkenhaus did not bring the sword to the banquet, a noble would ask about it, and then..."
Thales shrugged
"Then I should return it?"
Gilbert paused.
"I'm afraid so."
The Foreign Secretary thought thoughtfully, "I can draft a letter for you. On the grounds of respecting the history behind this sword, it is tactful, appropriate and respectful. Our fast horses can send the sword back within a few days..."
"
But this time, to his surprise, the young prince in front of him just smiled and pushed the warning blade back into the scabbard.
"No."
"I just need a handy sword."
Thales looked at Gilbert with a smile, and his words made the latter stunned.
"I want to keep it."
Gilbert stared at Thales blankly, feeling extremely strange in his heart.
"Your Excellency, with all due respect, considering our current relationship with the Western Wasteland princes, the significance of returning it exceeds the value of the sword itself. If the world sees you accepting it..."
But Thales interrupted him.
"Gilbert," the prince put the sword back in his hand, his tone was flat, and the emphasis seemed to be absent.
"What you are worried about is letting the world see that I accepted Falkenhausz's gift..."
Thales' eyes changed
"Or let my father see you?"
At this moment, Gilbert was truly stunned.
"Your Majesty the Duke, I suggest you don't think too much about it..." the Foreign Secretary hesitated.
"Gilbert, I saw them, all three of them."
Thales looked at the scenery outside the window and slowly fell into a trance.
"Whether it's Falkenhaus, Chroma or Bozdorf, these local nobles in the Western Wilderness, their attitudes towards me, and what they are vying to tell me."
"I can feel it, Gilbert, from the cautiousness with which you explained the Duke of Star Lake, to your worries about my friendship with the nobles of the Western Wilderness..."
"Gilbert," the prince closed his eyes and sighed.
"This is Duke Laoshizi."
Thales opened his eyes tiredly
"It's not easy, is it?"
Gilbert subconsciously wanted to refute, but stopped when he met Thales' eyes.
Thales leaned back against the wall of the carriage and sighed slowly.
Gilbert looked at him quietly.
After a few seconds, the Foreign Secretary sighed and smiled tiredly but plainly.
"My little sir."
"Maybe you don't know..."
"But you know why we are here."
Thales was slightly startled.
Gilbert let out a sigh of relief and pointed out the window
"Because you and your performance at the national meeting six years ago prevented this ancient country from falling into division and decline."
"We just have the opportunity to meet here today, six years later."
Thales frowned.
The country is a conference.
Memories from the past inevitably come back to mind.
"And then, with your broad mind and resolute courage, you went north to Exeter to put out the war and defend the kingdom by yourself."
Heading north to Exeter…
Thales pursed his lips.
"But you did so much more than that..."
Gilbert's tone became more and more ethereal, but also more and more profound.
"In the past six years, with the departure of the natural king and the decline of Longxiao City, Exeter is falling into more chaotic internal strife than before."
"As far as I know, Fengzhao City has just raised the tariffs on grain exported to Black Sand Territory and Reconstruction Tower, which has caused the price of grain in the latter to remain high. The lords of the three places are full of complaints against each other and are almost mortal enemies;"
"Qiyuan City and Guard City are caught in a dispute over the Golden Corridor, surrounding the Freedom Alliance and secretly engaging in a secret game with the ill-intentioned Conmas Alliance. It is protracted and difficult to extricate themselves from;"
"As traditional allies during King Nun's time, the relationship between the two eastern territories of Glacier Sea and Elk City and Longxiao City has deteriorated sharply, and they have turned against each other in domestic affairs many times, and they have been at odds with each other...
Longxiao City...
Upon hearing this term, Thales' palms tightened unconsciously.
"...The most important thing is that the three Southern Grand Dukes who were originally eyeing us, whether it is Weiland, Reconstruction Tower, or the most feared King Charman I, have lost their common enemy and become king because of the black sand.
The balance among the three was broken, and they began to turn inward and be wary of each other."
"The lords of the three places are vigilant in pairs, and for this reason they have to significantly reduce their military strength on the star border to prepare for each other's threats;"
Gilbert looked at him gently, the smile on his face was the same as in the past in Mindis Hall.
"So in the past six years, the pressure on the northern border has dropped sharply, and the Great Needle Forest has returned to our patrol range. Even the most ferocious Exeter hunters dare not go south to hunt. The people of Watch City and Lonely Old Tower have welcomed a rare opportunity.
Peace and Prosperity;”
"And the border defense line of the Black Sand Territory is unprecedentedly empty. It is said that the Flower of Fortress led the patrol across the border and camped in the Black Sand Territory for three days and three nights. The sporadic Exeter people did not dare to approach.
They only dare to watch from a distance because their lord and their king are disgusted with each other and have no time to look south;"
"The danger of Broken Dragon Fortress has been lifted, and the effect has been immediate. From farming, harvesting, grazing to commerce and travel, all businesses in the North are slowly recovering. Just like when we came to the Western Wilderness to rescue you this time, many troops came from Broken Dragon."
Allocated from the service quota saved by the fortress;"
Gilbert paused for a moment, and his words were filled with deep emotion.
"I still remember that six years ago, the standing army under Baron Mu was stationed in the central territory. They were working hard every day to prepare for the north. They were on guard against changes in the fortress and could not leave for a moment."
"But today, six years later, the wrathful army of the kingdom galloped with horses and whips, following the king's orders and rushing to all directions to spread the king's power. No matter the East China Sea, the south coast, the blade, or the western wilderness, wherever they went, the four realms surrendered, and the sword was sealed.
I kowtow, the territory of the kingdom that was once out of control has been re-paved on His Majesty’s conference table.”
"Due to the rare opportunity brought by the decline of the dragon, we are able to do whatever we want, whether it is to unite the domestic nobles and reaffirm the royal power, or to fight against Conmas, beat the dragon's kiss land, warn Ellenbia, or send troops to the border to shock the Three Kingdoms of Mist, and regain
Hegemony in the Western Continent...Things that we dared to think about but did not dare to do before are now being put on the agenda one by one."
Listening to these news about the current situation, Thales frowned tightly.
Over the years...
So many things happened around the stars?
"Your Highness, the severe damage caused by the Year of Blood has left the kingdom in decline for many years," Gilbert said sadly.
"For nearly twenty years, for a whole generation, the blood of the empire has flowed. We, who once dominated the Western Continent, have to hide our capabilities and bide our time, walking on thin ice with fear."
The foreign minister's gray hair stood out against the setting sun outside the window. His tone of voice fluctuated, and he was obviously upset.
Gilbert took a deep breath, and the expression on his face changed. As his tone perked up, he became full of life.
"But twenty years have passed, and looking at today..."
"The giant dragon gathers its wings, and the powerful enemy gives its head."
"The Milky Way shines brightly, and the stars shine brightly."
Gilbert's eyes were so bright that it actually made Thales feel like he couldn't breathe.
"We finally regained our composure, freed up our hands, regained our strength, and started to rebuild the country again."
"The Kingdom's return to the top of the world is just around the corner."
The Foreign Secretary gently pressed Thales' shoulders.
"And all of this, from saving the stars and unifying the kingdom, to eliminating the war and rebuilding the restoration..."
"None of this can be done without you, my little sir, my..."
Gilbert took a deep breath and looked at him with mixed emotions, his eyes sparkling slightly.
"Duke Thales."
But Thales could only look at him blankly, speechless for a long time.
Gilbert blinked hard, put away the crystal inside, and at the same time calmed down his emotions.
"That's right."
"This 'Lao Shizi' Duke is really not easy to be."
The middle-aged nobleman smiled bitterly but gratifiedly.
"But it is all your past efforts and struggles that make you one of the thousands of creatures in this great country..."
Just listen to Gilbert say softly
"The best person for it."
At this moment.
"Your Majesty the Duke, Your Excellency the Earl."
A familiar voice came from outside the carriage.
Thales came back to his senses.
He heard that this was a member of the royal guard, the blond knight who stood behind Mallos before, Dele's "distant relative", the knight Doyle who mocked the Croma family escort Thales as an uneasy and kind-hearted one.
"We have arrived at Lorenburg. This is our resting point today. We will set off again tomorrow."
Before Thales, who was still immersed in inexplicable emotions, could react, Gilbert gathered his emotions and stood up with a smile.
"Thank you, Doyle, I'll come right away."
Gilbert opened the car door and walked out. His voice continued to be heard from outside the carriage, polite and without any emotion from before.
"And I am very grateful for the service of the Royal Guards."
Doyle's laughter also sounded, obviously he was quite familiar with the foreign secretary.
"The mission lies, Your Excellency."
"Also, since we have been assigned as the personal bodyguards of Duke Xinghu," Doyle's voice was bright, as if he would never feel sadness.
"Then maybe you can call us the Duke's personal guards, or..."
"Star Lake Guards?"
Thales was startled again.
Star Lake Guards.
Outside the carriage, the royal guards and Gilbert were still chatting and laughing.
But Thales just sat quietly in the carriage, saying nothing and motionless.
I don't know how long it took, until Doyle's urging sounded, the young prince sighed, leaned back on the carriage, and said inaudibly
"are u there?"
A few seconds later, an almost inaudible hoarse voice came from the air.
"yes."
Thales shook his head in confusion and snorted slightly.
"Did you hear what Gilbert just said... what I did?"
From saving the stars and unifying the kingdom, to ending the war and rebuilding the restoration...
It is all your past efforts and struggles that make you one of the thousands of creatures in this great country...
The person who is best suited for it.
Thales was stunned.
"Yes." The answer in the air was still as precious as gold.
Thales casually responded to Doyle's urging outside the carriage, while he raised his head blankly and looked at the top of the carriage, his eyes unfocused.
"Yodel."
“Have you ever had a moment when everything in your life seemed so unreal and you were at a loss what to do?”
After a few seconds, the voice of the masked guard came faintly.
"yes."
Thales curled his lips with a half-smile.
"Very good, then I'm not crazy."
His tone was lonely.
"Tiles..."
His name came from the void, and a hesitant word of comfort
"everything will get better."
Thales laughed again when he heard this.
everything will get better.
"Yeah," Thales said in a daze in the carriage, "Every time, before things get worse..."