"You know, when I returned to the capital this time, I found that everyone was very comfortable." After a moment, she hummed softly, took out her cigarette bag and cigarette roll again, and started rolling a cigarette. "People are no longer as popular as they were a few years ago."
We are in panic, ready to move and flee at any time, and we are always worried about the day when the northerners will come again."
"This is a good thing," Thales nodded, "and you guard the fortress and take the greatest credit."
But the flower of the fortress snorted softly, with sarcasm in her voice:
"In fact, a few months ago, I took people north to the Black Sand Territory and went to Lumba for 'camping'. To put it bluntly, it was for reconnaissance."
Thales didn't look back, he just looked at the Star Lake in the distance: "How brave."
"It's, um, very quiet there now." Sonia's hand rolling the cigarette was very steady and meticulous, and she didn't look like she had drunk too much.
"The Black Sand Territory has just fought a civil war and everything is still recovering, but the taxes on farmers and herdsmen are reduced, the customs fees for merchants crossing the border are also reduced, and there are fewer illegal bandits on the road. Including the villages, the rough guys in the north are enjoying it.
There are not many quarrels anymore. I heard that no matter what disputes there are, they are resolved by new officials or a lot of king's decrees that I can't understand."
King's decree.
Thales didn't speak, but his thoughts slowly broke away from the sadness and lamentation.
"Most of the rotten and stinking northern lords I have dealt with before, such as Levan, Mende, Devinson, Peruno and Ika, have also disappeared. Some of them were in the civil war.
After losing their heads, some moved to Black Sand City, some were replaced by new heads who obeyed the king's words, and the rest huddled in the castle, staying closed and trying to survive."
Follow your advice.
Thales' brows slowly frowned.
"Many young people from the Northland have also left in the countryside. I heard that some of them joined the king's army during the civil war, and some went to live in the city after the war. Those who stayed behind were talking excitedly about how they could do it.
Go to a farther place, such as Black Sand City, and try to get an official position or even a title like other common people who are successful and come back.
"And our detailed work further north, including the secret agents who occasionally come to rest, also said that every day, even every hour, from the fallen nobles and wandering knights to the common people's ruffians, there are new people coming there in a lively manner.
Heisha City, I want to make a career there."
To succeed.
Achieve career.
Thales' eyes became sharper: "Really?"
Sonia nodded, she finally rolled up a cigarette and was licking the cigarette butt carefully:
"To be honest, I have been fighting for a long time. I am not afraid of the heavy cavalry in the north, nor their heavy sword infantry or heavy armored sword and axemen. I even have the Broken Dragon Fortress in my hand. I can fight one against ten or even more.
, it’s not a big problem, but..."
Having said this, Sonia paused.
After a few seconds, she rubbed the crystal flint and lit the cigarette in her hand.
"But I can feel that something is different in the north, and this is definitely not a question I can answer on the battlefield with swords and magic guns."
As Thales listened to her words, the words of his "old friend" appeared in front of his eyes:
[Tiles, you know better than anyone else that in the past six years, the ideal Exeter has become further and further away from me. 】
Now it seems that it may not be so far away. After experiencing the ups and downs after returning to China, Thales started to sigh:
Just like the weak Cohen and the unshakable Downtown, those who persist in forgetting may not have accomplished the work, but there will definitely be repercussions.
And how do you do it, Charmaine Lombard?
What did you pay for during this journey?
The Fortress Flower took a deep breath and exhaled endless smoke.
"What do you think, His Highness Polaris is coming back from the north?"
Thales came back to his senses.
A voice from Polar Star said silently in Thales's heart, No, you don't like this nickname.
It looks majestic, but it also contains ridicule, as well as imperceptible rejection and alienation.
It gives you a lot, but takes away even more.
"I know."
Duke Xinghu nodded slowly: "Seven years ago, I was there, at the center of the storm."
Thales turned around to avoid the smoke, only to feel that everything in front of him was blurred by Sonia's curled smoke and full of unknowns.
"So I know better than anyone else what kind of beast I have unleashed in Exeter and Longxiao City, and what kind of fire it will ignite."
beast.
The Flower of Fortress was silent for a while, then slowly said:
"So, can you put it back in the cage?"
Thales smiled.
Put back in the cage.
"No one can lock it," he shook his head and sighed, "It was destined to be like this when it was born more than a hundred years ago."
Maybe, maybe more than a hundred years, he said quietly in his heart:
It has quietly landed since the birth of mankind.
Sonia snorted sarcastically, took a puff of her cigarette, and leaned against the observation deck with a serious expression.
"Now, many people in Yongxing City feel that Exeter is trapped in internal strife, divided and declining. It will no longer be possible to launch a national expedition like the Year of Blood, and it cannot threaten us."
Thales pursed his lips:
"At least the first half is right."
Sonia ignored his words and continued:
"In the past seven years, the border between the two countries has been calm, and the Broken Dragon Fortress has been deserted. Both His Majesty and the important figures in the imperial court, and even many families who have been enemies of Exeter in the north for generations, feel that the great enemy has gone to invade foreign countries.
It's been eliminated, don't worry, turn around and go find your own people.
"Even old man Soduo was no exception. He rejected my proposal to strengthen the fortress defense, saying that he had more important things to do.
"Some people at the Royal Council even thought that I was alarmist."
After Sonia finished speaking, her eyes were pointed at Thales, sharp and threatening.
Thales also looked back at her with deep eyes.
The only thing between them was a wisp of white smoke from the cigarette between Sonia's fingers.
After a few seconds, Thales grinned and shook his head.
"Only a fool would think that Exeter's decline would not be a problem, let alone the adults of the Royal Council. I think they just can't help themselves in many cases."
"Can't help myself?"
Sonia disagreed:
"When old man Soduo asked me for reserve troops, saying he was going to the Western Wilderness to rob nobles, he looked very interested, and it didn't look like he was being forced by the king."
Western Wasteland.
Sand King Plan.
Thales was silent for a while.
"It's not the king," Thales looked at the night sky in ecstasy. "The thing that persecutes them is not the king, not even an individual, but 'things'. Fame, position, ideals, interests, power, everything in the net they are in, persecution
This leads them to make decisions that may not be rational or long-term from another perspective."
Sonia's cigarette butt flickered, and she frowned in the smoke.
"And this is the most terrifying thing." Thales unconsciously held the ring and dagger in his pocket, feeling that they were full of weight. "The most sophisticated persecution is often subtle and silent, which makes
You thought you were volunteering."
The watchtower under the moon returned to silence.
After a while, the flower of the fortress dusted off the cigarette butts and coldly snorted:
"Listen, I don't know what happened in Fuxing Palace, and I don't know what 'beast' you let loose, but what I saw here gives me a bad feeling. When Broken Dragon Fortress becomes lively again next time, we will have to
What we face may be far beyond our imagination.”
Thales raised his eyes:
"so?"
"I need more."
"More what?"
"Everything," Sonia answered without hesitation, "everything to prevent my bad premonition from coming true."
She took a puff of cigarette and blew it out to Thales:
"Soldiers, money, equipment, food, intelligence, morale, support, and maybe government officials who won't hold us back. Although from my experience, the last one is basically impossible."
Thales frowned, lowered his head, coughed, and waved his hands to disperse the smoke.
Sure enough, it was not as simple as her going back to her hometown for a vacation, nor was it as coincidental as just passing by your castle.
A voice said in his heart: Everyone has their own plans and desires.
Even the flower of the fortress, which is cheerful and generous, and is famous for its reputation, is not immune to vulgarity.
Thinking of this, Thales's mood dropped a bit.
Sonia is asking for something from you, then you should promise her, at least leave some words and see what can be discovered in the future. He whispered in his heart, even if this is just a short exchange, this is in line with the agreement you and the king have made.
Covenant, use the rift between your father and son to illuminate every crack in the kingdom.
Even the flower of the fortress.
but……
"Sorry, you have found the wrong person," after a moment, Duke Xinghu said solemnly: "I am just an exiled and disgraced prince, with no soldiers, no power, and extremely poor."
Sonia stared at him for a while before turning to the direction of Star Lake.
"It doesn't matter. Nineteen years ago, when I led my troops north to Yongxing City, when I met your father in a group of refugees, he was about the same."
The Fortress Flower took another puff of cigarette:
"In fact, Kessel had just escaped from the hunt and was in a daze and trembling. However, he was much more miserable and miserable than you are now."
Hearing this name, Thales frowned.
"Then maybe you should ask my father for help."
"If I can, numb," Sonia swore and pointed a cigarette butt at the moon to complain, "Since he sat on the throne, your father has become less and less cute and less well-behaved. It doesn't look like he is fighting.
When we first met, if we asked him to kneel down, he would kneel down, if he was asked to strip naked, he would strip naked, if he was forced to dance, he would dance, if he was told to be a king, he would cry and crawl to be crowned..."
Thales frowned deeply after hearing these disrespectful words.
Why did she say that?
Your father is becoming less and less lovable...call him a king and he will be crowned...
Why did she say this to herself?
Sonia Satherre, she was supposed to be the backbone of the royal standing army, the northern barrier of the kingdom, and the sharp sword in the hands of the iron-fisted king, wasn't she?
Why?
But Thales didn't show it on his face. He only teased one word in the other person's sentence: "Take off your clothes, really?"
Sonia waved her hand and ignored her:
"Anyway, I don't expect you to do anything now, given your pitiful little body, but I can wait, wait."
In the confusion of smoke, the flower of the fortress smiled at him.
But at that moment, Thales only felt empty inside.
wait.
What are you waiting for?
What else, another voice in his heart whispered, between you and the king, what else can she wait for?
But, no, Sonia, she...
Thales suddenly panicked. He subconsciously touched the bone ring in his pocket, remembering his agreement with King Kessel.
Sonia changed her hand to hold the cigarette and sighed a little: "As for you, just take what I say to heart. There is something going on in the kingdom, and it must be in the north. You have to make preparations for the future."
Thales swallowed.
Be prepared for the future.
future?
No, it's impossible, Thales dismissed the inappropriate thoughts.
Sonia is the commander of the fortress. All she cares about is the threat of Exeter and the defense of the northern kingdom. If something happens, it must be in the north. This is the key to her words.
So what? Another thought popped up in her heart again. The reason why she said this was because as the defender of Broken Dragon Fortress, she had to say this.
Because the enemy in the north is her capital: the threat of the Kingdom of Exeter directly affects Sonia's safety and future, affects her standing army, affects the resources she can obtain, affects the degree to which she is seen and taken seriously, and
her position of power in the kingdom.
Because she is also caught in the net.
Can't extricate myself.
Isn't it? Isn't this the truth that you have experienced in the political games over the past few months and used it to oppose the king's army?
And you, Thales, you must see through this, her request for help is not that simple!
Thales closed his eyes and interrupted his thoughts.
He thought too much. Sonia, the Sonia he knew, was not that kind of person.
"Why, why me?"
Thales opened his eyes, looking slightly tired:
"I believe that there are other knowledgeable people in the capital who can give you more substantial help."
Sonia took a sip of tobacco and pondered for a moment:
"Perhaps, because you are special? For example, you dare to break into the palace to rebel and threaten your father with a sword?"
Thales turned back sharply!
The Flower of the Fortress raised the cigarette in her hand: "Don't look at me. Rumors spread very quickly. It was definitely not told to me by Old Man Sodo."
But Thales's mood sank.
Look, you're right, Thales.
She came to you because you broke into the palace to rebel but left safely, because you proved your worth and became the second pole after the Supreme Throne.
As a result, the situation in the kingdom changed drastically. Even the seemingly valiant and generous flower of the fortress, she saw, she knew, and she felt that just as the king and Thales had foreseen, Thales might be able to compete with Kessel.
king.
So here she comes.
Not just for returning home, not just for the north, not just for my pitiful personal friendship with you.
Thales looked at Sonia silently, feeling restless.
Sonia didn't notice the change in Thales' eyes. She was smoking her cigarette, immersed in the hazy smoke, feeling extremely comfortable.
"Perhaps it's also because you are one of the few people who can cure Lombard? According to Miranda, seven years ago, you gave up the opportunity to escape, decisively returned to the Palace of Heroes, and used your freedom to extinguish the looming conflict between the two countries.
The flames of war.”
Thales took a deep breath.
seven years ago.
It was seven years ago again.
Seven damn years ago.
He suddenly lost interest in the conversation in front of him.
Whether it is for the defense of the fortress or the future of the kingdom, in the final analysis, she is here to show friendship, win over, ask for help, take sides, or any other pleasant or unpleasant synonyms.
She, the owner of the Supreme Shield, Sonia Satherley, who once saved her life, is actually not much different from the Duke of Xihuang.
[The powerful nobles and lords will rush to find you, win over the prince who has just returned home, and use every method to win you to their side...]
Sonia, even Sonia, is the same.
Thinking of this, Thales only felt deeply disappointed.
And he, Thales Bright Star, could no longer speak frankly and open his heart to this savior like he did when they first met.
"So I think, that child," Sonia took a puff of cigarette and sighed, but her eyes were pointing. "The child who balanced forgiveness and justice under the gallows, the child who dared to charge at Lombard and swing the sword at his father.
, there should be some hope?”
At that moment, Thales tightened his grip on the "covenant".
"Hope?" Thales repeated mechanically.
Sonia, she is not the first, nor the last. In the future, more people will do the same thing. Starting from a certain point, the calculations and interests in the words of the person talking to him, the purpose and
Desire will only increase.
Until nothing else is left.
Thales subconsciously clutched the covenant in his pocket.
But you know, Tails.
This is the necessary path, and this is the beginning.
A voice said to him in his heart: You know, you have already been prepared.
No matter what the cost.
Sonia smiled and knocked Thales on the forehead:
"I know that you are not a 'big shot' in the Fuxing Palace, not yet, but the good thing is that you don't have time to be like them, and you are forced to be 'involuntarily' by some ghost, and you haven't become as annoying as them.
People are disgusting.”
become them.
Thales ignored her wanton actions, only feeling that the bone ring in his pocket was getting more and more painful.
She thought she knew, but she didn't know at all.
Thales stared at her.
The flower of the fortress smiled and said:
"In short, the world will not remain static. I hope that you, in fact, many people think you are..."
"But I'm not!" Thales shouted subconsciously.
There was silence on the observation deck for a moment.
Sonia was startled. She looked at Thales who was breathing rapidly in surprise, and the smile on her face gradually disappeared.
"Not what?"
But Thales reacted immediately and adjusted his breathing regretfully:
"I'm sorry, ma'am, I, I lost my composure. Maybe I drank too much at night and couldn't concentrate."
He controlled his tone and forced a few smiles:
"I understand your concerns about the defense of the fortress, Your Excellency, Lady, but you may not understand my situation..."
But before he could finish, Sonia coldly interrupted: "Shut up."
Thales was about to say something, but at that moment, the light in Fortress Flower's eyes was so frightening, so sudden and sharp that he forgot to speak.
She was looking up and down, looking at Thales carefully.
"Tell me, boy, how long have you been back in the capital?"
The young man was stunned for a second.
"It's been half a year, I don't remember. I'm sorry that I made a mistake, but it's very late now, Lady, I'm a little tired..."
But the flower of the fortress shook his head and tutted, interrupting him again.
"Sunset, it seems she is right, they fucked you very badly."
Thales frowned:
"What?"
Sonia smiled towards the sky.
"You know, you are just like the mute under your command, wearing a mask and talking." Sonia raised the cigarette and raised the corners of her mouth. The curvature of the corners of her mouth remained the same, and the coldness of her eyes remained the same.
Wearing a mask…
After hearing this, Thales was silent for a while.
"Rolfe can't speak."
"Are you different now?" Sonia quickly retorted to him with a cold smile:
"How long has it been since you last spoken to someone?"
Thales was speechless for a moment.
"What, are you possessed by a demon or cursed by a witch?"
Cursed by a witch.
Thales swallowed his throat and resisted the desire to touch the ring.
[I will help you move your kingdom forward, remove obstacles, and break chains, and I will do whatever it takes to do so.]
[Very good, that’s just like what we agreed, child, become my sword and go through the thorns and thorns until the kingdom is clear. 】
He took a deep breath:
"I, you don't understand, Sonia"
"You haven't tried it yet, how do you know..."
"You don't know!" The upset Thales interrupted her loudly.
He was breathing rapidly and stared at Sonia, who was holding a cigarette and seemed to be free.
You just listened to a few rumors and weighed up the situation. Sonia Satherley, you hurried back to your hometown to "visit" me and say some meaningful words based on your so-called old friendship.
"There is something happening in the north", "I can wait", "prepare for the future", "you are special", all in an understatement, rhetoric and self-righteous way...
Thales mobilized the Sin of Hell River and tried his best to breathe smoothly.
"You don't know, Sonia," Thales tried not to think too much. He stood up and wanted to end the conversation as decently as possible:
"I am oblivious."
【He gave you a sword.】
"do not know anything."
The young man said in a daze.
[I, Thales Bright Star, I am destined to become your enemy. 】
What, everything...
【My son, you must fulfill your promise and wield your first sword.】
Sonia didn't speak. She sat opposite Thales and stared at him intently, letting the cigarette burn in her hand.
But the look in her eyes made Thales even more uneasy and he wanted to turn around and escape.
Finally, the flower of the fortress exhaled a breath and looked at the starry sky above her head.
"You know, when I came to Xinghu Castle to apply for the guard, my mother was so frightened that I was shocked. The nun in the castle taught me this word."
Thales came back to his senses:
"What?"
But Sonia ignored him and just said quietly to herself:
"And when I got here, the first thing they said when they saw me was: You are going the wrong way, girl. The kitchen and weaving workshop are not here, and the maid recruitment is not here either.
"And when they found out that I was here to recruit guards..."
Sonia chuckled, with mixed emotions:
"John is a liberal Duke, so no one dares to directly say, 'Hey, girl, you are not suitable for this, you should go home to give birth to a baby and breastfeed'."
Flower of the Fortress turned around and asked Thales, meaning:
"Is it like now?"
Thales, who was in a bad mood, frowned:
"Now? Now what?"
Sonia snorted coldly.
"Now, no one dares to say to you directly: 'Hey, Prince, Duke, Polaris, you are new here. You are delicate and soft-hearted, brutal and rude, and you don't understand the style. You are not suitable for this job. You should lie back in bed.
**, wait until you learn well, and then wait until your father passes the throne."
She has a delicate body and a kind heart.
Thales' fist subconsciously tightened.
Sonia leaned forward and approached Thales, her tone full of mockery:
"But they all think so. It's just that many times they don't know it themselves, and the way they look at you is full of pity and sympathy. It's the kind of thing that can move you. Can't you notice it?"
Thales suddenly felt inexplicably angry: "I"
Sonia narrowed her eyes:
"So much so that you yourself have begun to think so, you self-righteous little loser."
Thales couldn't stand listening, so he took a deep breath:
"Good night, Sonia, it was nice chatting with you."
But the moment he turned around, Sonia's words of ridicule and contempt came again:
"Instead, they were polite but with words, 'Oh, Your Highness, you are so young and mature!' 'You have done the best for your age!' 'We can't expect more from you!'"
Sonia's tone darkened:
"Just like back then, the recruiter looked at me with strange eyes and said to me, 'Oh, what a shameless heroine!' 'How can a girl have such ambition!' 'Those cowards should really be let go'
Men, come and see!'"
Thales' footsteps stopped.
"And they say that because you are new here, because you are an accident. According to common sense, you should not be in the same room with them here, just like me back then."
Fortress Flower turned around and faced the stars on Star Lake with a numb expression.
Thales did not look back, but his throat trembled.
"Why do you say this?"
"Because I know this feeling," Sonia took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly, as if tasting the wine made from memory, "this feeling of walking into a completely unfamiliar world and facing everything you are not used to.
There are unknown obstacles, but you still have to pretend to be tough and move forward step by step.”
At that moment, Thales trembled slightly.
The feeling of stepping into Fuxing Palace appeared in his memory as cold, narrow, and oppressive.
When I walked into the Ballard Room, I saw everyone smiling, speaking sincerely, and being sanctimonious.
but……
"And this is the territory of your opponents. It is a battlefield they have been accustomed to for a long time. It has fixed rules and an environment that is beneficial to them but harmful to the rest." Sonia looked at the stars in ecstasy, but she was not aware of it.
Xinghu bottomed out, "And we, we use our own shortcomings to attack each other's strengths, to accommodate them, to follow them, and to engage in those 'old tricks' that you may never be able to do."
Thales was silent for a long time.
[Be careful, boy, like me, you are lower than them, but like your father, you are higher than them, and you came back from the north, outside them.]
At that moment, what Jinni said to him before the royal banquet came to mind:
[This means that from the inside out, in the final analysis... you are not them. 】
but……
Thales squeezed the dagger and bone ring in his pocket and snorted coldly.
"Let me guess, what you are saying is that despite going through many difficulties, you still succeeded. You became a guard through recruitment and stayed in the castle, right?"
He turned around and looked at the back of Fortress Flower lying on the lookout.
"Through your finishing power or something, the strong will survive and the fittest will survive. You showed the strength of the newcomers and became a blockbuster. You proved that women are no worse than men and can also be outstanding in men's fields? More than that, you
He also reached the top, shocked the jaws of countless people including Duke John, and finally became one of the three handsome men in the kingdom. So now you want to pour chicken soup on me, 'Hey, don't give up, you are a loser' right?
What?"
Sonia didn't answer, she just sighed deeply and held the cigarette butt in her hand on the observation deck.
Thales shook his head sarcastically:
"Stop it, it's not the same at all."
After the words fell, Thales turned around and left without hesitation.
"They say women are not suitable for the battlefield," Sonia's voice sounded from behind, "So, be careful."
The sins of the Hell River surged up, and Thales frowned:
"What?"
But the next second, he felt pain in his back knee!
Boom!
Thales was knocked down, and when he could barely react, he put his arms on the ground:
"What are you doing?"
But as soon as he turned around in shock and anger, he saw Sonia's cold face and the soles of the military boots that slowly enlarged in front of his eyes!
boom!
The Sin of the Hell River roared crazily, and Thales blocked the kick of the Fortress Flower at the critical moment, which made his arm bones numb and his whole head was buzzing!
What are you doing?
Sonia's power of termination was fed back into his senses, as strong, hard, and powerful as unbreakable ice.
But his luck ended there.
Sonia's next knee strike followed the trend and completely broke through his defense.
Thales' vision went dark, and he immediately fell on his back. Sonia knelt on his chest and clamped his neck, pressing him firmly to the ground.
The sins of the prison river are left to flow crazily, but nothing can be done.
Damn it!
This gap...how could it be so big!
"Fuck you"
Thales was furious and yelled, but what followed was a merciless slap from the Flower of the Fortress!
Snapped!
This slap was so fierce and penetrating that it not only made Thales feel dizzy and dizzy, but also slapped the prince's full anger back into his mouth, leaving him only able to breathe.
"Children can't say dirty words," Sonia said coldly, suppressing him, "Don't do it all day long."
This observation tower is in the center of the castle, and the guards focus mainly on external threats (this is why Thales chose this place), but despite this, the sound of fighting still spread out.
"Who's making noise up there!"
Lights were lit on the slightly shorter fort wall, shining towards the observation deck, and a voice that was very familiar to Thales sounded, upright and awe-inspiring:
"Stand up, raise your hands, show your face! Let me see it!"
Sonia snorted coldly, turned her knees, and pressed Thales' neck ("Damn it, why the neck again!" Furious Thales).
"I'm here to fuck a man!"
The flower of the fortress straightened up, revealing half of its head, and roared throughout the castle:
"Do you have a fucking opinion!"
After saying that, she lowered her head and said to Thales unabashedly:
"Scream, scream louder! Haven't you had enough, you loser? Use all your strength to feed!"
Thales was shocked and sullen at the same time, but his neck was pressed helplessly, and he could only make the sound "Uh-huh-huh" when he was speechless.
Hearing her voice, the patrollers on the fort wall were silent for several seconds.
"Ah, it's Lady Sutherre!"
The next moment, the patrolman's voice became gentle and flattering:
"Misunderstanding, misunderstanding, it's all misunderstanding haha! Um, um, I'm sorry to bother you! Duke Thales asked me to bring you a treat for him... Please be gentle! Zombie is my partner. Although he looks like
It's big, but it may not be able to bear it. Your strong body..."
"Get out!" Sonia's roar sounded again.
Under the observation deck, the patroller's voice and his lights disappeared together with many of the Bright Star private soldiers who had followed him.
Only then did Sonia sneer, slightly let go of Thales' neck, and lowered her head:
"Now, no one will bother us anymore."
Thales has never hated his guards as much as he does now.
He swore that when he got out of trouble, what awaited D.D would be the most horrific punishment and torture in the world that the latter could not imagine.
The sins of the Hell River kept gathering on his arm, but the boy just couldn't break through the blockade of the Fortress Flower.
Sonia, who originally had cold eyes, looked at him struggling in embarrassment and crying, and suddenly she grinned and chuckled.
The next second, she released her knees, dragged Thales up from the ground, and leaned against the observation deck.
After receiving amnesty, Thales did not bother to fight back and take revenge. He gasped in pain and rubbed his chest:
"You crazy bitch, what do you want, want, do, do..."
"I screwed up."
An understatement brought Thales' words to an abrupt end.
Screwed up? What was screwed up?
Thales gasped and couldn't help but look at Sonia.
"For the recruitment of castle guards, I failed in the entry test. Even though I tried too hard, I couldn't lift a certain weight stone."
Sonia is laughing.
But at this moment, the smile on Fortress Flower's face looked tired, bitter, and numb.
She does not have the demeanor of a general who controls the battlefield and resists the Northern invaders.
Her rare expression made Thales not sure how to answer.
"The same applies to the long-distance running test. My physical fitness is not up to standard at all."
Sonia had no idea that she had just insulted the prince. She turned around tiredly and sat down side by side with Thales.
"There is also shooting. I reluctantly drew the bow while trembling, but I just couldn't hit the target. And reading and writing. Did I tell you that it was the nun in the castle who later taught me how to read?
"
She stared intently at the night sky.
"As for fighting, it's even worse. I guess I'm more used to hitting people with a hoe, rather than wearing armor and holding a sword to kill people. Even a new recruit can knock me down."
Thales slowly calmed his breathing.
"Although I am considered a good hand among those who do farm work, and I am also a well-known shrew from all over the country. I have also fought with wild boars and bandits with a pitchfork, but among those who come from all over to wield swords and swords
Among men..."
Sonia said quietly:
"Anyway, I messed up. Among all the applicants, I was the only female and got the worst grades."
"I remember their looks and ridicule...and all my efforts were in vain to prove to them once again: women are not suitable for the battlefield, and perhaps should not be soldiers. They cannot do those things of fighting and killing."
Screwed up.
Thales' breathing paused for a second.
At that moment, the powerful Fortress Flower in the Western Continent slowly raised its head. She looked at the bright moon and starry sky in bewilderment, and the drunkenness seemed to return to her nerves.
"All my dignity, persistence, and hope were shattered by the bloody reality the moment I entered a strange world."
Sonia turned to look at Thales and showed a weak smile that was inconsistent with the identity of the flower of the fortress: