Just after noon, the sun was just in the sky, and the fiery sunlight fell, making the earth warm.
The stone statue of Isdal, the goddess of stars, steps on white jade, and the spring water scattered from her skirt converges into a gurgling stream. The water vapor of the fountain splashes in the air, bringing a little coolness to the hot afternoon.
The tree-lined courtyard is very quiet, and only the melodious sound of the flute comes from the room and surrounds it.
After the song was played, the bard put down the flute in his hand.
He was sitting cross-legged on the light-colored carpet on the ground at the moment, the flute turned around in his hands, inserted back into his belt, and then looked up at his audience with a smile.
"If you're happy to hear it, will you give me some money?"
His slightly hooked peach eyes looked at the blond boy sitting on the slightly higher podium and smiled.
"I don't have enough travel expenses for the next trip, His Royal Highness Prince Garland."
His behavior of begging Garlan directly made the female officer Tapti frown, but she didn't say anything.
Garlan, who had been listening to the melodious flute sound with his eyes closed, opened his eyes and looked at Shulos.
He asked, "You really don't intend to stay?"
"There are already many excellent court musicians in the palace, and I, a little bard, won't rob them. After all, I'm still young, and I have to respect the elders. If I stay, I will definitely take them away. work, how embarrassing it is~"
The bard who has a fascinated confidence in himself and believes that he is capable of overpowering the audience by himself said so boldly.
"Don't talk about it, with your level, I can slap your face by just ordering a court musician."
The boy unceremoniously pierced someone's cowhide.
"That is, your archery skills can still be used."
"...Your Highness, it's a good virtue to see through and not to say, and to beat people without slapping the face. As a wise prince, you have to learn this."
Shulos rubbed his forehead and said, then he raised his head and smiled at Garlan.
"His Royal Highness, I like you very much. To be honest, I don't like those arrogant nobles very much, but you are a strange prince, and you are nothing like those nobles. So, During my time with you, although I was unlucky, I always encountered all kinds of troubles, but I was quite happy."
He didn't notice that when he said the words 'unlucky some', the boy's eyebrows moved indiscriminately.
"However, Your Highness, a vulgar bard like me is really used to the wild and can't stand it. He can't be a canary in a golden cage, and can only be a sparrow full of mountains and forests. "
Shulos spoke calmly.
"Also, although you are different from ordinary nobles, the people around you, including this beautiful lady official, are very orthodox nobles. I stay here, I am out of tune with everyone, and there are many estrangements. Although there is your protection, Your Highness, but over time, it will always cause friction."
And this kind of friction, whether he is dissatisfied or the people around Garland are dissatisfied with him, will bring trouble to Garland.
Maybe Gallan didn't care, but he didn't want to.
The human mind is complex.
He can imagine that over time, when he has been unhappy all the time, he will slowly feel that he has wronged himself for the sake of Garland, so he demands more from Garland, which leads to Garland The people around him are even more dissatisfied with him... In such a vicious circle, in the end, he might even have grievances against Garlan.
Shulos didn't want to go to that point with Garlan.
He was a believer in Aphrodite, and he admired beauty.
Rather than let each other's sincere feelings breed irreparable flaws due to various frictions and troubles, he would rather part ways and keep the best impression of each other in each other's memory for a lifetime.
This is not a beauty.
Hiding these thoughts in his heart, Shulos smiled at Garlan again.
"The reason why I have stayed so long is because I want to see with my own eyes the moment when you were made the crown prince. That was a moment of great significance, and maybe it will be a big part of history in the future. Of course the great bards had to experience that scene - Gal, you wait, I'm all about writing the poems that made you famous!"
Aaron Landis' greatest (scheduled) bard patted his chest to assure, completely ignoring the indifferent look of the female magistrate next to him.
"and… "
Shu Luos raised his head, flipped his forehead skillfully, and turned his face to one side, posing his most perfect and handsome angle.
The peach blossom eyes picked up, and he smiled, and all kinds of amorous feelings piled up in the corner of his eyes.
"Isn't it a pity not to let more beautiful girls see this handsome face?"
The female officer stared blankly at the flower peacock showing off its feathers, not wanting to speak.
Garlan really wanted to complain, 'It doesn't matter how many people see it, you're still here...', but thinking about it, he really doesn't have the right to say such a thing.
So I still don't hurt each other with Shulos.
He turned his head to look at the female officer.
"Tapti, give him something."
Taptin hummed, stepped forward, and handed Shulos a small black velvet bag embroidered with gold patterns.
Shulos looked at the small bag with light in his eyes, and couldn't wait to reach out to take it, while taking it, he kept reciting.
"What? Is it a reward? How much? Let me tell you, you are the crown prince now, you have to be more generous, you will be laughed at if you are too stingy..."
As soon as he weighed the small bag, he was startled.
Although the weight is not light, it feels like a square piece, and it does not seem to be a gold coin.
As soon as he opened the bag in confusion, the golden token appeared in front of him.
A golden token, with a lifelike lion cub carved on the card, and emerald green malachite embedded in the surrounding laurel branches and leaves.
From the corner of the golden token, cyan velvet tassels scattered from between his fingers.
Shulos looked at the golden token in his hand, and didn't come back to his senses for a while.
"I already guessed that you don't want to stay in the palace, but, as a laborer caught by me, even if you leave, you have to help me."
Garlan said, "So, this is for you, my Excellency Supervision History, make good use of it."
"... the history of supervision?"
After a long while, Shu Luos barely recovered his voice.
"Yeah, Shulos, if you want to travel the continent, then be my eyes, tell me everything you see among the people, let me not be deceived by my ministers, let me always be Remember the time when I was with you as a civilian."
"My eyes can only see the prosperity in front of me and see the people living and working in peace and contentment in the royal city. Therefore, I need to use your eyes to remind me all the time that on the land of Aaron Landis, there are still people living and working in peace. A lot of people are suffering."
"But, I... in my capacity..."
Shulos frowned and answered hesitantly.
Even though he vaguely felt that the hierarchy between people seemed wrong, the concept of class was still deeply ingrained in his heart, and the conflict between these two concepts made him very contradictory.
On the one hand, he felt that this seemed good, and on the other hand, he felt that it was not right. He was originally just a commoner, but now he suddenly has the power to act as the crown prince's authority, it seems...
"Identity? Well, yes, you are the first official appointed or dismissed after I became the crown prince, so don't embarrass me."
Garlan rested his chin in one hand, tilted his head and smiled.
Even though he has the halo of a prince, he is still that young man with a clear and bright smile.
"The next time you encounter something unsightly, show the token, which is very useful to scare some dishonest guys."
He seemed to remember something, and warned again.
"Remember, to design a handsome and bright pose, it's best to use this pose every time, understand?"
Tapti: "… "
Shulos: "..."
The bard's frowning brows stretched out, and he couldn't help asking curiously.
"Your Highness, aren't you afraid that I will do bad things with this token?"
Garland spread his hands.
"The purpose of doing bad things is nothing more than prosperity and wealth. You can easily get these things as long as you stay by my side. Are you stupid if you have to go around such a corner?"
Shulos laughed.
Well, it's really stupid to think so.
He thought so, and let out a soft, long breath.
"As you wish."
The bard leaned over.
Holding the golden token in his hand, he knelt on one knee and bowed his head deeply to Garlan.
"I will be your eyes to see the land you protect, and your people."
Shuluos spoke in a very soft voice, but his tone was never before solemn.
"I swear by Aphrodite's glory, I will use my devotion to serve the goddess to take charge of this golden token in my hand, and I will not let it be stained in the slightest throughout my life."
Having said this, he paused for a while, raised his head, and looked at Garlan.
"A bard is a traveler who has no end in his life and does not stop anywhere in the world."
He says,
"However, my Royal Highness, no matter where I am, whenever I hear your call, I will come back to you."
He smiled at Garland.
"May Avdomir always protect your beauty...be it your face, or your heart..."
…
The bard and inspector, Schuloth, was the first to be appointed to office by Garlan.
After watching the attendant send Shulos away, Tapti, who had endured for a long time, finally spoke up.
"His Royal Highness, the token of King Camos is lapis lazuli, and you are also allowed to use lapis lazuli to make tokens. Why do you have to use gold?"
Lapis lazuli is called the gem of Shamash because of its color as the sky, and it is also the gem that symbolizes the emperor.
Ordinary nobles can use it as accessories, but never use lapis lazuli as a token, which is an act of provoking the kingship.
It was rare for King Kamos to allow His Royal Highness Garlan to use lapis lazuli to create the crown prince's token, but as a result, His Highness chose gold, which was both strange and regrettable by the female magistrate of Tapti.
"The jade token is too easy to break. It is troublesome and expensive to replace them with new ones again and again."
Garlan shrugged and replied.
"… what?"
The female officer was stunned.
"So, gold is better, it won't break, it won't break, and it's durable."
Tapti: "..."
…
…
At the time of the bard's departure, at Heimos's palace, Heimos and his loyal subordinate were engaged in a dialogue.
"His Royal Highness, because of your unauthorized actions, you have caused such consequences."
The priests of the night god Nanna strongly disagreed with Heimos' behavior.
"Now that His Royal Highness Gallan has been established as the crown prince, you should know that this is very unfavorable to you."
He rubbed his temples, frowning and meditating.
"I've told you many times that feelings are just passing by, it will disappear, it will not benefit you, it will only hinder your..."
"Soja."
Heimos sat by the window, the thick sheepskin book on his lap.
With one hand on his side cheek, he casually flipped the pages of the book with the other, and out of the corner of his eyes, he glanced at his subordinate who was persuading him to instill in him the concept of 'emotional futility'.
"I asked someone to invite your lover over, you say these words again in front of her?"
Heimos glanced at Suojia and said, his thin lips slightly raised, the bright afternoon sun shone on his brown skin, and the fine black hair scattered on his slightly raised eyes, which made him even more handsome.
A handsome young man bathed in the sun and quietly reading a book is sitting by the window, forming a staggered light and shadow with the slanting sunlight, creating a beautiful scene like a picture.
However, Suojia could not feel the beauty of this scene at all.
He was like a big black goose that was suddenly strangled by his neck, and he kept his mouth open for a long time without making a sound.
He knew it.
If he dared to say that in front of his mistress, he would have been beaten out of bed for three days.
… maybe five days
Suojia struggled for a long time before reluctantly said: "This is different, Your Highness. My personal affairs have no impact on the overall situation, nor do they interfere with me. But Your Highness is different. Your goal is the throne. Bit' feelings are bound to hold you back."
"Your Highness, you are different from me. You are someone who wants to achieve great things. In the future, you will become the king who rules Aaron Landis."
"The king doesn't need personal feelings, it will become the king's weakness, and it will affect your judgment... No, it should be said, it is already affecting, and it is very serious."
Suojia looked deeply at his master.
"The king who sits on the throne should be like a god, calm and ruthless. As long as there is no emotion, he will not be influenced by emotion, and he will never make mistakes..."
Huymos interrupted Soga.
"Then why doesn't the infallible god rule the kingdom himself?"
Suojia opened his mouth, but didn't know how to answer for a while.
As a priest of the night god, he naturally believed in the existence of gods.
But since the gods are wise and infallible, why let humans who err because of their emotions rule Aaron Landis
"Because Aaron Landis is the kingdom of men, and the gods cannot rule over the kingdom of men."
Heimos watched his subordinates.
"Suojia, don't forget, even if he inherits the blood of the gods, the king of Aaron Landis is a man, not a god."
"Only men can rule the kingdom of men."
His feelings for Garlan were already part of his soul.
It is part of the existence of Heimos in this world.
Dig out that part of the soul, and he is no longer Heimos.
And Heimos, who is no longer Heimos, has no meaning even if he ascends the throne.
…
Suojia lowered his eyes, he was thinking, he did not fully agree with the words of His Highness Heimos, but these words did make his mind a little confused at the moment.
The idea about the king that he has always adhered to is exactly...
At this moment, Heimos suddenly asked him a question.
"When you successfully courted your lover, where did you choose?"
Trying to clear his messy mind, Suojia didn't have time to think about it, so he answered casually.
"Where we first met."
"Why choose there?"
"A place with commemorative significance can evoke the best memories of the two people when they first met, so it is easier to succeed."
"Is that so..."
Long fingers stroked the pages of the book, and Heimos nodded thoughtfully.
Suojia, who answered two words from His Highness without paying attention, suddenly woke up and looked at Heimos in horror.
Wait, wait, wait, wait.
Your Highness, what are you... planning to do