In the narrow corridor outside the Prime Minister's office, the sound of McGonault's hard leather shoes stepping on the solid wood floor was so harsh that the officials passing by around him subconsciously stopped and watched.

Officials are watching to see who dares to ignore the 'quiet' signs outside the hallway.

McGonault didn't pay any attention to the gaze around her, and she didn't show the slightest apology for disturbing the office of a nearby official because he was making a noise.

He had a calm and condescending demeanor.

However, McGonault's heart was not at peace, after all, it was the first time he had set foot here in thirteen years. With the sound of clear footsteps, the sleeping memories in his mind began to slowly revitalize.

But today, McGonau-Tano is not here to retrace memories. Soon, he followed Kerman's footsteps to the outside of the prime minister's office, and the door was still as simple as it had been more than a decade ago, with a special sense of history.

More than a decade ago, as a young man, he also discussed imperial affairs with his colleagues in this office, helping the then Prime Minister, the Duke of Wellsk, to deal with affairs.

And that sudden outbreak of war ruined everything here.

He hasn't been here since Nick Reagan became Prime Minister of the Empire.

"Squeak"

The old thick-planked steel-framed door was pushed open, and Kerman, who led the way, politely whispered, "The Prime Minister is inside." ”

McGonault immediately woke up from his memories, and the familiar sound coming from inside the door made him subconsciously feel a little unpleasant, but he quickly covered it up.

The environment in the prime minister's office was much darker than McGonault had imagined, and it was less luxuriously decorated, with desks and dressing sofas the same as they had been more than a decade ago, except for more paperwork piling up on them.

"I'm glad you're here, Earl McGonagall. Duke Nick's voice came from the direction of his desk, which was the brightest part of the room, and the only chandelier in the room shone only on that side.

McGonagall-Tano's gaze kept looking there, and he shrugged his shoulders with a feigned ease as Duke Nick's voice landed, "No one in Suker City dares to disobey the orders of the Prime Minister's Office. ”

"Are you complimenting me, or are you mocking me?" said Nick Reagan, with a joking tone.

"I'm just telling the truth. ”

"Earl McGonagall, this is the first time I've seen you outside of Ulis Hall. Count Stu-Gara stepped forward to interrupt the conversation between the two men, "It is my pleasure. ”

"It is also my pleasure, Count Stu. "McGonault Tano was exceptionally polite to Stu Gala.

His polite attitude surprised Stu Garra, and the Imperial Chancellor of the Exchequer was stunned for a moment before saying, "People say that McGonault is like a thorn bush in the jungle with barbs piercing her hands, and it seems that they don't know you. ”

"I asked my wife to shave all the barbs off my body when I went out. McGonagall Tano smiled humorously, "You are the first 'Plebeian Cabinet' since the establishment of the Empire, and you have obtained everything you have now on your own, and I—" he pointed to Duke Nick, "and he is supported by the glory of the ancestors." ”

"But the truth is, people often attack me because of my origins. The loneliness in Stu-Gara's eyes flashed.

"That's when they're jealous of you, they're jealous of everything you've gained now, jealous of your luck. McGonagall Tano and Stu Gala looked at each other, "Don't pay attention to the attacks of those people, they are nothing, and you are the Imperial Chancellor of the Exchequer and a member of the Cabinet." ”

Stu Gara had a slight smile on his face, "Looks like I should have visited you a long time ago." ”

"It's not too late. Nick Reagan stood up from his office chair, pointed to the old couch by the window and said, "Let's sit down and talk." ”

Earl Stu Gara immediately staggered and let McGonagall Tano take the lead.

McGonault Tano glanced at Stu Garra, and the slightly respectful expression on his face stopped him from trying to lift up, and McGonaultno was not stupid enough to think that the other party would come to slap him. "Oh, it's still the couch. McGonagall Tano deliberately took two steps slower, and he looked at Stu Garra, "As the Empire's Chancellor of the Exchequer, you shouldn't have to be polite to me, right?"

Earl Stu laughed and walked over with his leg raised, followed by McGonagall Tano.

"Earl McGonagall is not only known as 'the thorn of the jungle', but also by those who really know him when they talk about him as 'true noble'. Duke Nick smiled and said to Stu Garra, "'True noble', do you know what these five words mean?"

"I hate this assessment, I prefer 'thorns in the jungle'. McGonab Tano said as she sat down.

"This just proves that you can indeed be called a nobleman. Nick Reagan laughed, "There are fewer and fewer people in the empire who have aristocratic beliefs, and the times are slowly changing people's minds..."

McGonagall-Tano immediately interrupted, "Are you trying to tell me that my mind is out of step with the times?"

"Hehe!" Duke Nick chuckled, not upset that he had been interrupted while he was talking, he looked at McGonault, "Do you know why wolves are able to drive away the tall and mighty Sharp-toothed Tiger?" he asked himself, "Because wolves have packs, and Sharp-toothed Tigers, though strong and fierce, have only themselves!"

"Do you want to tell me the story of how I coax the child?" said McGonagall as she leaned back on the couch with her hands folded, "I can tell a hundred stories like this... Even children can say the big truths, but there are very few people who really understand these truths and put them into action. ”

"You know, but you don't put it into action. Duke Nick stood up, walked over to the coffee machine and lit the fuel, and as the flame rose he said, "So, you have almost nothing to achieve in your forty-year life, and you will only rely on the past glory of the Tano family to evaluate and rebuke the nobles for their mistakes..."

"You—" Magnau-Tano stood up.

"This is you, you use these to disguise your incompetence!" Duke Nick did not give the other party a chance to speak at all, "the most fundamental reason why you attacked the Prime Minister's Office, attacked me, and even secretly satirized Emperor Laubert and his throne is that if it had not been for the war on the throne thirteen years ago, you would have entered the cabinet long ago, and you may have sat in the position of Imperial Prime Minister by now." ”

"Shut up, you don't deserve to talk about that war at all, you disgusting conspirator. McGonault could no longer hide the anger in his heart, and he roared, "Look at what you've done for more than ten years, you've promised to make the empire stronger, but look at it now, is that what you say is strong? You're more of a failure than I am!"

"You admit your defeat?" said Duke Nick with a sudden laugh.

"In my eyes, your life is even more of a failure!" McGonault said sarcastically, "what have you paid for your authority? your sister and brother, and your fiancée... Your loved ones died in your conspiracy, you betrayed your lover, you got everything you wanted, but you look... What have you turned all of this into?"

As soon as the two had spoken, they began to fight each other, and the Count of Stu-Gara next to him only felt that he had just breathed a sigh of relief, and the two in front of him revealed each other's scars.

McGonagall Tano looked excited, and he continued after taking a few deep breaths in a row: "The empire is divided in your hands, look at the wolf smoke on the Eastern Continent, countless conspiracies and tricks are being staged, how many innocent lives have disappeared because of your mistakes, and the seven layers of hell are not enough for you to atone for your sins. ”

"Yes, it all started with that war thirteen years ago. Duke Nick sighed, he didn't defend himself, he said to himself: "For that war, Emperor Laubert made countless promises, and these promises allowed the nobles to unscrupulously gnaw at the foundations of the empire during these thirteen years. ”

"You could have stopped it, but you watched. McGonault seemed to regain his composure, but also seemed to be on the verge of exploding, and there was no other expression on his face except indifference, "What are you doing all this for, I don't understand why you want to overthrow the rule of Emperor Barrett, anyone can make mistakes, why don't you have tolerance?"

"Tolerance? Nothing can be tolerated. Nick Reagan's cold hand lightly touched the hot coffee machine, "If it could be tolerated, the 'War of the Three Races' for more than three hundred years would not have happened, the empire would not have been established, and the orcs, elves, humans, and all the races on the continent would live in peace." ”

"I said, don't tell me 'fairy tales,' I need to know the truth about that war in Thirteen Years!" "McGonault stood up and took two steps in the direction of Duke Nick, "You tell me the truth. ”

"There is always a time when the truth is revealed. Duke Nick looked at McGonagall Tano, "Does your coffee need to be sweetened?"

"Don't you dare to say it?

"Earl McGonagall. Count Stu-Gara, who had been silent beside him, then stood up and walked two steps to McGonault's side, "Duke Nick's coffee here was specially sent from Crewe, and I heard that it is coffee beans grown in the Narren Forest. ”

"I'm now..."

"You should taste it, Earl McGonagall. Stu-Gara's tone was much heavier, "Just a cup of coffee." He waved his hand, "Do you have to make the atmosphere terrible?"

Duke Nick shrugged, "Do you want to add sugar?"

McGonagall Tano snorted coldly while glancing over Nick Reagan and Stu Garra, before silently retreating from her seat.

"With your character, you shouldn't want sugar. Duke Nick teased.

Stu-Gala breathed a sigh of relief, he now understood why Duke Nick wanted him to stay and listen.

The three people in the office fell silent after McGonagall Tano's cold 'snort', and the silence made the flames of the coffee machine 'flutter' louder.

After a few minutes, Duke Nick turned off the flame and whispered, "Alright." ”

Stu Gara seemed to have been waiting for this moment, and as soon as Duke Nick finished speaking, he stood up and walked to the wooden cabinet next to him, and expertly turned over the cups and trays.

When the coffee was served, McGonault Tano politely said, "Thank you." ”

"It's been a long time since I've made my own coffee. Nick Reagan's voice was a little lonely with thought, "I remember the last time I met my second son, Pedi, in Kwyn, when I made him a cup of coffee, and he had just experienced an unforgettable defeat... The battle of Crane, in which my eldest son, Omar, was killed. ”

"I could tell that Pedi was blaming me, that I hadn't sent reinforcements to the Clans. Nick Reagan gently blew the steaming heat on his coffee, "Everybody has to blame me for not sending reinforcements to Crane Territory, but..."

He shook his head, not going to continue.

"At that time, Duke Nick and Duke Eric sent more than ten envoys to Cullen to lobby Duke Bradidley for the smooth progress of the Crane Territory, and even gathered more than 100,000 troops in the Tefellowo grassland. Stu-Gala took over the topic and said: "The Ministry of Finance and the Logistics Department of the Military Department have urgently gathered a large number of supplies to prepare for the emergency rush to the front line..."He put down the coffee cup in his hand, "But the situation of the war in the Klan Territory is developing too fast, and no one expected that the nearly 100,000 troops would be defeated in an instant." ”

"I'm not saying this to explain anything, I'm going to take all the wrong things. Nick Reagan also put down his coffee cup and walked to his desk and pulled out a beautiful piece of parchment, which he held and looked at the handwriting, and then returned to his seat after three seconds of silence.

Duke Nick and Magnau Tano looked at each other, put the parchment on the coffee table, and said, "This is my letter of resignation, and I will take all the responsibility of the cabinet alone." ”