The moon has already crossed the middle of the night sky, it is the second half of the night, the whole city is quiet, and most of the people have already slept.
Only the palace is still lit in the dark night.
The silver-like moonlight fell on the green grass, covering the scattered blond hair with a thin layer of shimmer. The boy kneeling on one knee on the grass gasped violently.
Sweat seeped from his forehead, dyeing his forehead hair. His hair was stained with a few stalks of grass, and there was dust and dirt on his face, making him look disgraced.
The whole body was in pain, and the body was beaten to the ground again and again, and now the pain seemed to fall apart.
Garlan's chest heaved violently, he gasped, grabbed the hilt of the sword with both hands, and supported his body with the sword stuck in the grass.
After taking a deep breath, he stood up again. It's just that the body is shaking a little, and the movement to stand up is also very reluctant.
Under the moonlight, the skin on the boy's exposed arms and shoulders was blue and purple, all traces of being beaten just now.
Garlan raised his head, the blond hair was scattered messily in front of his eyes, on his cheeks, and on his shoulders, making him look extremely embarrassed.
But he still stood there panting, clenched the hilt of the sword with both hands, held the long sword in front of him, bowed slightly, and once again assumed a fighting stance, staring straight ahead resolutely.
In front of the boy, King Camos stood there.
The moonlight came from behind him, leaving his face in the shadow of the backlight, making it impossible to see the expression on his face at the moment.
He stood firm, his hands hanging by his sides, his long sword pointed at the ground, his muscular arms glowing dark brown in the dim light.
The angular lips were a bit tighter than usual, giving people a great sense of awe and oppression.
King Camos' eyes hidden in the shadows swept across the rather embarrassed, bruised teenager on the opposite side, and something seemed to shrink in the depths of his pupils.
However, he still had that expressionless expression. After seeing that Garland had stood up and was ready to fight again, he stepped forward abruptly and slashed down with the long sword in his hand.
A snow-white edge passed by in the dark night, accompanied by the whistling sound of the broken blade.
Garlan's shoulders tensed suddenly, he clenched the hilt of the sword with both hands, and raised the long sword to face the epee that was chopped down—
Although he had a hunch that the strength of his sore and aching arms was no longer enough to resist this powerful sword, this time, even the sword in his hand would be slashed out of his hand.
And he will be beaten to the ground mercilessly again by the brother-
Suddenly, a huge but fast-moving brown figure leaped up in the dark night and slammed into the space between the two of them.
The movements of the two men paused.
The sword in Kamos' hand was still held high in the night sky, and his brows were already wrinkled.
The thick mane spread out in the dark night, and the huge lion stopped in front of Garland, bowed, his muscles were tensed, and he looked like he was ready to go. growl.
In the roar, it opened its huge mouth, and the sharp white teeth reflected a cold light.
King Camos looked at it for a few seconds.
Then, he lowered the raised sword.
Probably because the aggression he felt from Camos had disappeared, and the tensed and slightly bowed body of the big lion also eased.
It roared at Kamos again as a warning, then turned its head and arched its huge head into Garlan's arms.
Garlan was still in a daze before he came back to his senses, when he was suddenly slammed by the big head full of manes, and one was knocked to the ground by Nega without paying attention, and the sword in his hand also fell to the ground.
Sitting on the grass, he subconsciously hugged the head of Niega, who was constantly rubbing against him.
The sword in the hands of King Camos hangs down, and he stands there, looking sideways.
"You brought this guy here?"
He said, his chin was raised at the big lion who was flirting with Gallan.
Kaihos and others have been standing aside, all their attention is on the battle between King Camos and Garlan... To be precise, Garlan was unilaterally beaten.
King Camos suddenly said this, and they noticed that Heimos appeared here at some point.
"Yes."
Heimos replied.
King Camos snorted.
"Do you think it's useful to bring this guy?"
Heimos didn't answer this time, he walked over, walked between Garlan and King Camos, then lowered his head and knelt down in front of King Camos on one knee.
He just knelt like that, bowed his head, was silent, and said nothing.
Almost at the same time as he knelt down, Kaihos also walked quickly to Garlan and knelt down at the feet of King Camos.
He also didn't say a word, just knelt quietly.
The female officer Tapti still held the cloak of King Camos in her hand, and also stepped forward to stop Garlan, looking at King Camos' eyes with a look of prayer.
Camos' eyes swept over the people who were standing in front of him, and then fell on Garlan.
"Garlan, how does it feel to be protected by those who have been abandoned by you?"
he said, expressionless.
Garlan, who was sitting on the grass, paused for a moment.
His lips moved and opened, but he didn't make a sound, because he didn't know what to say, so he could only subconsciously grasp Nega's mane.
"You thought you just abandoned the throne, thinking that it was just something you didn't want. But you didn't think that what you did was to abandon all the people who followed you and guarded you all these years. "
In the dark night, the voice of the Lion King became more and more low.
"Whatever the excuse, you dumped them, that's the truth."
Even his princely brother was thrown away—
"I don't know until now, what is your reason for rejecting the throne."
He said, "But, Garlan, you don't understand, it's not you who choose the throne, no one is qualified to choose it, but the throne chooses who can sit on it."
"The chosen one has no right to refuse!"
After King Camos finished speaking hard, he raised his hand and slammed it hard. The sharp sword he dropped stabbed heavily on the ground, and the blade sank half into the ground.
Then, he turned and left.
Only the long sword was left standing obliquely on the ground, reflecting the shallow moonlight.
Heimos was squinted by King Camos before he left, knowing that King Camos' eyes were to follow up and report the matter of Menister City, so he got up and followed.
Xie Muer glanced at Garlan, who was kneeling on the grass, and said nothing, and followed the footsteps of King Camos with Heimos.
And Tapti stood up, looked at the bruises on Garlan's body, and wanted to say something, but realized that he was still holding the cloak of King Camos, so he had to shut his mouth again. , turned around and walked quickly to the room not far away.
Only Garland and Kaihos were left in the garden, and it was quiet again. In the dark night, no one spoke.
The big lion doesn't understand the complicated atmosphere among humans, so he just sticks to the long-lost Garlan and arches back and forth.
Gallan touched Nega's mane with one hand, and Nega shook her head and was very happy when the hair was brushed, and there was a gurgling sound in her throat, but Gallan couldn't be happy.
Just as he was kneeling on the grass in a trance, a hand reached out to him.
He raised his eyes and met his guardian knight's gaze.
Kaijos knelt down in front of him and stretched out his hand as if to lift him up.
Garlan shook his head, a little unsteadily, but still stood up on the ground.
He stood up, but Kaihos was still kneeling in front of him on one knee, not intending to get up.
Garlan looked at Kaihos hesitantly. He didn't know what to say for a while. He only felt that the atmosphere was extremely stiff, and he could only keep rubbing Nega's mane to cover up this embarrassment.
Garlan didn't know what to say, but the kneeling Kaihos spoke.
He said: "Your Highness, do you think... I'm useless?"
"what?"
"Because I'm useless, so you don't want to tell me anything."
The blond knight lowered his head and his voice was very low.
"Because I'm useless and can't help you, so I was abandoned by you. This is all because I'm too weak to make you depend on me, and I can't help your Highness share your troubles."
"No... not so."
These words of Kaihos made Garland a little stunned for a while. Looking at Kaihos who was in a depressed mood, he quickly shook his head and denied it.
"It has nothing to do with you, Kaihos, I am too self-willed, that's why..."
"No, Your Highness can't be wrong. The fault must be me. I'm not competent to be your guardian knight, so I'm not trusted by you. It's all my own problem!"
Interrupting Garlan's words, Kaihos said so decisively.
"I don't have the qualifications to be your guardian knight, so I have no complaints about being abandoned by you."
He says,
"As a guardian knight abandoned by the master, I have no face to face you again, and no face will continue to live in this world."
The blond knight stretched out his hand and grabbed the long sword that Garlan had just dropped on the ground when he was arched by Nega.
"The reason why I live so shamelessly is that I want to see you one last time before I die."
He said in a deep voice, and put the blade on his neck with his backhand.
"Prince Garland, I am very happy to serve you so far, and from now on, I..."
"Wait, wait a minute! Stop it!"
Garlan squeezed Kaihos's hand.
He was terrified.
"You're not wrong, it's me who's wrong, I'm doing it wrong, it's nothing to do with you, don't do this! Put down the sword!"
"No, Prince, you can't be wrong, I must have done something wrong."
"No, you are very good, very good, I have always been proud of you, so don't do such a silly thing!"
"But I have been abandoned by you, prince, the guardian knight who leaves the master will be regarded as a disgrace by everyone. It is better to be reduced to that level than..."
Um? Will the guardian knight who leaves the master be looked down upon by others
Is there such a statement
Garland just wondered.
The Kaihos hand that was staring at him suddenly exerted force, and the sharp blade suddenly sank into the skin of Kaihos' throat, cutting a shallow bloodstain, and the blood seeped out instantly.
This time, bluffing Garlan no longer had the time to think about it, and immediately put the doubts behind him, holding down Kaijos's hand firmly.
"I won't abandon you, Kaijos, no matter what happens!"
Garland, who was frightened by the bloodstain, tried his best to coax Kaihos, for fear that the other party's shaking of hands would lead to irreversible consequences.
"You are my guardian knight, forever."
"You won't hide anything from me in the future, will you?"
"Won't."
"Anything on your mind will you discuss it with me?"
"Yes, it will."
"Do you still want to leave the palace?"
"No, I'm not leaving."
"It doesn't matter if you want to leave, but will you take me with you?"
"I said no... If that day comes, I will definitely take you with me."
"You swear?"
"I swear, in Shamash's name, that no matter what happens, I won't leave you again. So, Kaijos, put your sword down for me—"
"Okay, Your Highness."
As soon as Garlan finished his oath, Kaihos immediately put down the sword around his neck.
He stood up, raised his eyebrows and gave his Master a bright smile.
Garland: "..."
No... always feel... This scene seems to have happened many years ago
...seems to be a reenactment of the scene where Kaihos became his own guardian knight
After a long while, Garlan, who finally recovered, stared at the guardian knight in front of him, grinding his teeth.
"… Cayhorth."
"Yes?"
The knight responded calmly.
"Anyway, you are the famous 'Knight of the Hot Sun' in the world, but don't you feel ashamed that you use this trick of crying, making trouble, and hanging yourself like a woman and child?"
The little prince, who was bluffed by Kayhos's move, pointed angrily at his knight.
"do not think so."
Answer in a second.
Garland: "..."
Lost in a second.
"You care about your honor as a knight..."
he muttered softly.
Cayhorth smiled, and he raised his hand to take the hand Garlan was pointing at him.
"Prince of Garland."
The blond knight held Garlan's hand, lowered his eyes, and the smile faded from his handsome face.
He lowered his eyes, and there was still a little bloodstain in the bloody opening on his throat, which made people feel frightened.
"I am your guardian knight, and this is my greatest honor... Until the day of death, I will walk into my grave with this honor."
He leaned down and kissed his prince's hand.
"My prince, please remember..."
He spoke softly, word for word.
"If it is abandoned by you, it will be no different from death to me."
The garden was quiet for a long time.
After a long time, Garlan's voice sounded in the darkness.
"… sorry."
Accompanied by this soft apology, the big lion gave a low, suspicious snort.
…
…
In the dead of night, the lights were still lit in the king's bedroom, and King Camos sat on the stone seat with a heavy expression on his face.
Heimos, who had finished reporting the matter of Menister City, had already left. At this moment, only King Camos and the priest of Shamash were left in the room.
King Camos sat with a calm face, still the same expressionless look.
Xie Mu'er raised his eyes and glanced at it, and he saw that the hand of King Camos on the armrest was clenched very tightly and forcefully.
The pair of charcoal-like eyes stared in front of him, as if solidified.
It seems that the king is still angry about the matter of Prince Gallan.
The priest of Shamash thought so.
He had been sitting there for a long time with a sullen face since just now, motionless, and his anger did not seem to be light.
However, it is not good to continue to make the king angry with the prince. After all, the prince has already learned a lesson.
Shemur thought.
Only this time, he reluctantly helped Prince Gallan to intercede, so that King Camos could calm down and forgive the prince.
After making the decision, Xie Muer coughed softly.
"Your Majesty, I know you are very angry this time. Prince Garland has indeed made a big mistake."
He says,
"However, he has already received the punishment he deserves. Moreover, His Highness Heimos said just now that Prince Garlan came back on his own initiative. From the appearance of the prince, I should have known the mistake and repented. meaning."
"So, please forgive the prince's mistakes. After all, you have already taught him a lesson..."
"Enough! Say no more!"
Shemuel's plea for Garlan was rudely interrupted by King Camos.
Xi Muer's heart froze.
It seems that King Camos is really angry this time, and he is still angry with Prince Gallan. Are you disappointed with the prince and plan to give up on him
No, this can't be done.
Just when Xi Muer was anxious to persuade King Camos, Camos continued to speak.
"Don't remind me of this again, Xie Mu'er."
King Camos put his head in his hands and let out a weak moan.
"I hit Garland... I hit him... Xie Muer, why didn't you stop me!"
He raised his head and glared at Xi Muer.
Xie Muer: "???"
So is it my fault
I saw that the lion king, who had been sitting majestically and exuding oppressive breath a second ago, had stood up and was circling around the room like a headless fly, going around in circles.
"Ah, I actually did it, I actually did it to that child... I don't want it, I really don't want it... Why do you think I did it?"
"I don't know if it hurts... It must be very painful. I fell so hard that my body was bruised... I should be lighter... Ahh!"
While going around in circles, Camos thought to himself, scratching his head with both hands, and rubbing his brown hair in a mess.
Finally, he stopped circling the room and looked up at his priest.
"Ximul, you say, will Garlan hate me and ignore me in the future?"
The look in the eyes of the big lion king at the moment gave people a pitiful feeling.
Xie Muer: "..."
do not want to answer.
Just want to beat people.
Just want to commit the following.