The vast starry sky hangs obliquely above the high ground, the starlight reflects the grayish-brown rocks, the sparse withered grass on the plateau, the bare trees, this picture scroll, as if it has never changed since the era of chaos—thousands Over the years, although the old constellations continue to dim on the ancient starry sky, bright new stars will be re-burned, and the new and the old will alternate until the deity is far away from the world, but the star field is bright, but always the same.
The cold wind roared from above the plateau, the grass was drooping, and there was a sound of horseshoes from far to near. It was quick to see that the knight on the highland horse was wearing a gray shirt, and a magical ball of light was floating not far from his shoulder. These frontier fortress cavalry are not uncommon in this area. Routine patrols have become frequent since the Torquinian Lions invaded, but in the Rokozy Heights-the imperial end of the Broken Sword Mountains fortress group, this patrol More or less with a sense of superficiality.
The knights let the magic light orb fly around the avenue for a week, and then returned to themselves. The grass swept by the fast light was nothing unusual, and it is unlikely to be unusual, because this is within the empire, and the lions are still far away. The side of Broken Sword Mountain Range.
"Nothing unusual."
"Neither do I here."
"Well, to be honest, I still don't understand the meaning of our work. Those stinking lions are still far away from here. We need to brave this cold weather to come out and see these stones. It's a hell. In places where there are only stones besides the stones, I sometimes even wonder if there is even a lizard willing to stay under these damn stones?"
"Rock lizards will build nests under these stones, brother."
"So the enemies of the empire are those rock lizards?"
The knights chuckled lightly.
"Enough, you idiot," the captain of the Cavaliers also laughed and cursed: "Don't ask knowingly. Our main task is to guard against bandits and cultists in the territory. Don't be unsatisfied-those Rogerians have heard that even the Eruins are I couldn't beat it, and I was driven to piss by a hillbilly from the south."
The knights let out a burst of laughter, and the laughter gradually faded away.
After the light of magic faded away, a pair of gleaming eyes appeared under the shadow of the rock. It was a pair of prismatic pupils, like cat eyes adorned with burnt yellow amber. Its owner stood motionless in the weather. Next to the rock, staring at the direction in which the imperial knights disappeared, the scaly skin was almost the same color as the gray-brown evil soil. It only moved slightly after the imperial knights had gone away, revealing a triangular head.
This strange creature is wearing simple leather armor, with some metal pieces on the leather armor, but the surface has been specially treated, as if it could be the same color as its skin. It carried a long bow, which was obviously its main weapon. It made a hissing sound, turned around, and walked behind the rock. After crossing a large piece of grass, a cliff appeared there. It stood on the edge of the cliff. , Lowered his head and looked down the cliff. Under the cliff, on a steep narrow path, there was a creature almost the same as it watching this direction vigilantly.
It immediately raised its hand to the other party, hissed and said something weird.
The latter immediately turned his head and passed down the cliff with the same voice, and then responded with the same command three or four times in the canyon.
After a while, the same creatures with one, two, three, and four heads separated into the mist in the canyon and appeared one after another from under the cliff. After them, they dragged a long tail. It was obviously a large army, this one. The army is almost entirely composed of lizard-like creatures. They are well-trained and silent. When they get the password, they immediately start to climb up against the cliff. At first they are not sparse, but soon, dense black spots are formed. Covered the entire cliff.
Several black spots rose rapidly under the canyon. It was a monster with a human face and a bird body. They were piercing the fog, vibrating their wings and flying out of the fog. These harpies whizzed past the lizard-men's heads, and the lizard-men standing next to the cliff turned around, and when it turned back, the uncountable harpies were coming out of mist, one after another toward the southern sky. Flying away, as if only for an instant, these monsters spread all over the night sky in darkness.
Lizardmen are starting to climb the cliff, and behind them, more weird creatures soon appeared.
The caveman, Minotaur with the head of the bull, the lord of the lair, the manticore, and the giant of the cave are finally a Medusa with a white linen robe and a snake-haired human face.
Medusa came to the lizardman and said something with a strange accent.
The lizardman looked back at her, nodded, and replied something in the same language.
Medusa just smiled slightly, and when she spoke again, it was in the ancient Toquinin with a full-thick words: "Praise the holy earth, praise Martha!"
At this moment, beside these two people, an army hidden in the darkness, hidden in all history and legends, hidden in everyone's expectations, is on the stage of this era.
They have a common name-called Qiao Gen Di Gang.
…
The night in the hills is quiet and far away. In the valley surrounded by the mountains, the envoy camp is divided into two. There are more tents and the captive camps of the nobles of the empire with carriages. Brando does not have to worry about tents and carriages. Because they were all provided by the nobles of the empire, these noble lords who were once arrogant but now held hostages have not been abused in any way. In addition to being unable to freely enter and leave the camp, Brando allowed them to purchase all luxury goods— Of course, except for women.
On the other hand, the camp of the envoy itself is much more compact than that. The carriage is surrounded by a few tents. The largest and most luxurious one is the tent of the nun Princess Magdal, followed by Dilfieri. Brando’s tent was specially prepared for the Earl’s daughter of Yanbao in order to take care of her body. As for the little prince Haruze’s tent, it was not very conspicuous, even slightly more than Efram’s. A few times, this is also in line with his sister's consistent teaching to him.
But at this moment, the candlelight was bright in the little prince's tent, and there were even disputes coming from it from time to time.
"His Royal Highness." The voice of Baron Rutney is not high, but he is very powerful. He is an envoy from the kingdom-an envoy sent to the mission. This sounds very strange and unreasonable, but from a certain one Also see the helplessness of the royal party. What Brando did was really shocking. Of course, Macaro and Overwell could not guess what the Emperor of the Cruz Empire would think of this matter, but everything should be viewed from the worst possible point of view. Looking at it, the only way they could think of was to send an envoy to find a way to let the Lord Count to restrain his behavior.
At the moment, the Lord Baron actually represents Macaro's meaning, but he is not Macaro's cronies, but a more fanatical member of the royal party. Before he came, he made up his mind. He certainly couldn't convince the rebellious Earl, but he hadn't forgotten that there was still a crown prince in the envoy. If the little prince supported him, the descendants of other nobles would be on his side. Brando can't just go it alone
He made his calculations, so as soon as he arrived at the envoy, he found the little prince overnight. He happened to pick a time when most of the others were there, and Brando and Nimesis left to investigate the battlefield. He looked at Haruze, and continued to speak: "Are you just watching the developments like this these days?"
Haruze looked at her puzzled: "Mr. Envoy, I don't understand what you said?"
"I mean, since the Black Sword Bulwark, you never seem to have expressed any opinions. What is the current situation, don't you see it at all, Your Highness?"
Haruze lowered his long eyelashes and thought for a moment: "I think I understand," he said, "but I think the teacher did nothing wrong."
Baron Rutney looked at the future crown prince in astonishment, as if he had misheard something. For a moment, he almost wanted to go up and pull at the other's face to see if the little prince was affected by his lunatic teacher. It was secretly exchanged, but the guy still poured some ecstasy soup. "His Royal Highness..." He couldn't help but said dryly: "Do you know how dangerous what he wants to do? He is gambling, taking the fate of the kingdom and the fate of millions of people as a gamble. !"
"Baron Rutney," Dilphary at the side finally couldn't help but speak. Although she still looked a little sick at the moment, and her complexion didn't look very good under the candlelight, she still frowned. The head replied weakly: "When you said this, did you really consider what the fate of tens of thousands of people has to you?"
Baron Rutney did not blush, and replied without a heartbeat: "Well, I admit that it is just a rhetoric, but you can't let his temper be messed up."
"I think Lord Earl has his own measures. He is not that selfish." Dilfieri thought for a while and replied.
"you… "
The Lord Baron from Ampereur looked at these people and couldn't help feeling a little unreasonable for a while. Are these people still nobles? Where are their positions? In desperation, he had to turn to outsiders present: "Princess Magdal, what do you think?"
"I am not an Eruin, and I don't intervene in the affairs between you. However, at the Black Sword Barrier, it is indeed impolite by the empire. When this matter reaches the temple, I will stand on the side of justice," the nun princess was gentle. With a grin, "Besides, I still owe the Lord Earl a favor, and I will help him if he is in the mood and reason."
Baron Lutney was speechless for a while, so that only the fat fat Ephram was on his side. Originally, he thought there was a more sensible Duke daughter, but Miss Ouni bit her lip. With a bitter face, he just didn't speak. He couldn't help looking at Yinide, who lowered his head and looked at his toes, and said nothing on this occasion.
As for the guy from Lantonilan, needless to say, he stood firmly on Brando's side. Since that guy rescued the refugees at the Black Sword Barrier, he and the Lord Earl have set foot on the same boat. As for the non-commissioned officer from Yanilasu, Baron Rutney felt that a small non-commissioned officer might not be eligible to participate in this meeting, so he didn't bother to talk to each other.
But in this way, he suddenly found that he seemed unable to persuade anyone. This was quite different from his original idea. He stood there for a while, and finally Haruze thoughtfully said to him: "Mr. Envoy, I miss me If I understand what you mean, I'll persuade the teacher a little bit. It's getting late, so go and rest first."
Baron Rutney looked at the little prince with unspeakable words. He didn't want a little persuasion. This sounded unreliable. If the lunatic can listen to the advice, he would not do it so unreasonably. Here comes the pointing thing. When he walked out of the tent in a daze, he didn't figure out what the problem was for a while, but in his mind he thought strangely, as if the little prince was a little different than when he had seen it before. His Royal Highness did not dare to be so'tactful' before. I asked him to leave.
After everyone left one by one, a figure of Miao Man sneaked into the little prince’s tent silently. The prince said: "They verbally support your teacher, but they may not think so in their hearts."
Haruzer replied with some embarrassment: "Because no one knows what the teacher thinks, Eruin can't bear the empire's thunderous anger after all. Sister Lesmeca, what do you think?"
"Be more realistic," Medusa smiled mysteriously: "The reason he chose is naive. The empire can have dignity, but the small country does not need it. In the eyes of the nobles, the reason for war should be something more real, such as land, population, Power and money."
"But from an ideal perspective, for your kingdom, you really need a banner that can gather people's hearts and beliefs."
"but-"
Lesmeca looked at the little prince playfully, as if feeling very interesting: "Legality and legitimacy, these sacred words, what do these sacred words mean to an earl, why do those who support you and your sister? So fearful and frightened? You and your sister are really childish cuties, and the Lord Earl is also ridiculously childish. I am really curious that the destiny of a kingdom will be handed over to you."
"Yes, this may be an arrangement of fate, it is always so wonderful."
Haruze stared at the Medusa lady blankly: "Sister Lesmeca, but you know, I have never been interested in this. The teacher treats me very well. He is an upright person and I like him very much. ."
"This is where you are childish, cute," Medusa approached the little prince, cupped his face in her hands, exhaled like a blue spray on his face: "What belongs to you will always be yours, this It is the orthodox meaning. If you are still in this world for one day, he will never be His Majesty King of Eruin. People gather around him because of justice, and they will leave him because of unrighteousness. One day, I really want to See what he will choose in the end."
"But," the little prince shook his head earnestly: "I don't think teacher is such a person."
She giggled, "Maybe, maybe he will surprise us all."
Lesmeca let go of Haruze and smiled and said to him: "You just asked me what I think, then what about you, the future King, what do you think?"
Haruze frowned slightly.
"I think," he said, "I think the teacher makes sense. Ideals are valuable to people, but my sister, Mr. Macaro, Lord Overwell, they all taught me ideals and beliefs. It’s important, but when discussing issues, why do people always favor actual interests?"
"I can't eat my ideals, my lord, the little prince." After Lasmeka said this, she suddenly thought of something, her eyes flashed slightly, and she patted Haruze's shoulder lightly: "But maybe this It's just a self-comforting statement by a weak person, little prince, if you really want to know what your teacher thinks, you might as well let me see him."
"Sister Lesmeca, if you want to see the teacher, isn't it possible anytime, no one in the camp will stop you?" Haruze asked puzzledly.
Lesmeca smiled mysteriously and looked at the little prince silently, as if the latter had said something stupid.
Haruze was startled slightly, as if he understood something, and then replied: "I understand, then please go to see the teacher, sister Lesmeca."
"Little cute," Lesmeca gently kissed the little prince's forehead: "Let me tell you a secret."
"what?"
"The magic your teacher taught you is an ancient magic that has been lost for a long time. Even I have only seen a few records on some of the remaining slabs. The meaning of what he did, I still haven't figured it out yet—"
"I know," Haruze replied: "The teacher told me that he said that my talent is more suitable for learning this type of magic."
Medusa looked at him teasingly with prismatic pupils: "Then he must have never told you another thing."
Haruze looked at her puzzled.
"Ancient magic was taught to only four people through the hand of Tumen. Their name was the earth and the tolerant sage, Ellanta. The sage of light and justice, Fa Enzan. The flame and the brave sage, Yan King Geert. The sage of flowing wind and wisdom, Saint Osor after the wind. They are the king of kings, the ancient sages, the pioneers of the history of dark iron. After them, no one has systematically Mastered ancient magic."
The little prince opened his mouth slightly and sat there startled.
…
Brando and Nimesis were riding side by side on the undulating mounds. The starry night was gradually fading. The sky in the east was pale blue, and you could vaguely see the glitter on the horizon of Andrez, where was the evergreen walkway. The most prosperous area between the Floating Clouds and the Mosaic Collar.
"Earl Jien has chosen a good battlefield." Brando's gaze looked into the forest on the undulating hills, and suddenly he spoke.
Nimesis looked back at him.
"The players of the empire once wrote the most evocative stories here, which changed a piece of history. Today we are going to do the same thing here. The stories that happen in this land are always so similar," Brando's vision suddenly Reflected in a sea of spears, the army of the local nobles of Anzeruta was entering the battlefield they had already reserved. He took a breath, patted the mount, and said to Nimesis beside him: "Go back, it's time to watch You can see it almost too."
The female knight nodded silently.
…