As the sun set, Todd walked into the Sister Hotel anxiously, picked a table in the middle, looked at Karin Foreman walking towards him, and forced a smile: "A glass of pomegranate juice, a seafood bibimbap." ”

The girl looked at him worriedly, then turned and walked to the bar.

Five minutes later, Karin walked awkwardly to Todd's table under the push of Rachel.

The latter looked at the girl's expression of wanting to speak and stopped, and asked strangely, "What's wrong?"

"Sister Rachel asked me to put down what I was doing and chat with you......"

Todd was stunned for a moment, and looked sideways at the nun, who squeezed his eyes at him.

Standing up, he walked across the table and gently pulled the chair open, and when Todd unconsciously finished these movements, he and Karin were both stunned, and the two of them thought back to the meal in Overwatch.

Watching the girl sit down, Todd sighed lightly and returned to his seat, not knowing how to speak for a moment.

There was an awkward silence.

After a long moment, Todd coughed lightly and said, "Is there a habit in the town?"

Karin nodded slightly.

Todd looked at the girl with her chin resting on her chest and said, "In the circus, you were a well-known star. Don't you feel sad that you're staying in an inn now?"

Karin raised her head and said in a puzzled tone, "Why be sad? Everything is good here, you can see new things every day, as long as you are willing to work hard, there will always be rewards." In the circus, although I had no worries about food and clothing, and people would applaud my performance, I felt like a caged bird, without freedom. ”

Todd was a little surprised, he looked into the other man's eyes and said, "You mean, Twilight Town is better than there?"

"Of course. Karin pressed her index finger to her chin and looked upwards as she recalled: " Uncle Huggins once told me that he found meaning in his life here, and that there were things he was willing to protect with his life, and Grandpa Aiden told me that he used to be just a discriminated against craftsman, but now his work is respected, and his work is everywhere in town, and Sassoon, who brought us vegetables, and he said that there were no whips or heavy taxes, and that his life was getting better and better every day......"

The girl's words sounded in his ears, and Todd's heart slowly calmed down for some reason.

Karin talked about what she had seen, and the more she talked, the happier she became, from the sister inn to the big bazaar that was about to open, from the night market to the town with a group of bards, from the seaside lighthouse to the fishing boats that had returned the day before yesterday.

Todd didn't interrupt her, smiling and listening to the girl.

“...... People say it's like a warm home......"

Hearing this, Todd's eyes lost focus and muttered, "Home...... ......"

"It's snowing!"

Someone walked in from outside the hotel, pointed to the door and shouted happily.

Karin stopped talking and ran happily towards the door.

Todd also stood up and followed the girl out the door.

Snowflakes fluttered and fluttered in the wind, falling on the land of Twilight, dressing up the lively night. The children of every household rushed out of the house, running in the snow, listening to the sound of shoes stepping on the snow, watching the snow particles fall on the tip of their tongues, laughing and fighting.

Karin joined the children, and she stretched out her hands, and small snowflakes fell on the palms of her hands, looking like clear sheets of frosting, slowly melting.

Todd looked at the snow falling heavier and heavier, but his thoughts drifted to the night of life and death a year ago, when he first came to the other world.

The snow fell on his shoulders and head for a long time, until someone slapped the snow off his body for him.

He turned his head, and Rachel rubbed his hands together and smiled at him, "What are you thinking? You just didn't move, like a sculpture." ”

Todd's expression was a little lonely, he didn't speak, and shook his head.

Karin stood beside Rachel, her eyes sad, and she carefully grabbed his sleeve: "Todd, I don't know why, I always feel that you are getting farther and farther away......"

"Far?"

Karin lowered her head, the corners of her eyes moistened a little: "When you first met, you would grieve and laugh with us. In the past year, you have been by your side, but you have felt farther and farther away from us...... You often stay alone in your room for a long time without going out, and you don't have the smile on your face anymore, and even if something happens, you always bear it silently by yourself......"

The girl kicked the snow ball on the ground: "Uncle Huggins, Mr. Alfonso, Sister Rachel, Grandpa Aiden, Edgar, Jerry...... There are many, many other people who get together to talk about you the most, and everyone wants to help you, but they don't know where to start......"

Rachel looked at Todd and gently brushed the snowflakes off his shoulders: "When the burden on a person's shoulders is too heavy, even the hardest spine will break one day." Why don't you try to find another person with whom you can carry the burden?"

The latter stood in the snow, and although the cold wind was biting, the heart was warm.

"Richel, I hope to have a meeting tonight right away......"

Snow spreads over the world, and the heart is gentle and lonely.

——————————————

That night, the chapel of the church in Twilighttown.

Todd, who was standing on the pulpit, first glanced at the people who walked in the doorway, and then refocused his attention on the young deacon beside him.

Tristan looked tired, "Commander, are you sure you want to do this?"

Todd's eyes were firm, and he nodded and said, "Yes." ”

The man sighed deeply: "Then it's useless for me to say anything, I think I'll stay." ”

Todd was a little surprised: "You're not leaving?"

Tristan glanced at him: "If you don't go, it means that my mission is not completed, how can I go first?"

Todd nodded with some gratitude, and asked uneasily, "The knight in the skirt, are you sure he is reliable?"

Tristan seemed to remember something, his face turned pale, and his blood faded: "I...... Confirm that he is a reliable person and that my master trusts him very much. ”

The chapel grew more and more crowded, with Richel, Karin, and Tristan being the first to arrive because of their proximity to the church, followed by Cumberland, Huggins, Alfonso, and Mary, Edgar and Jerry, and finally Dieng, the knight.

After glancing around the crowd in the hall that were gradually seated, Todd's voice was low and firm, "Ladies and gentlemen, I hastily summoned you here because Twilight Town has reached a critical point of life and death. ”

Looking at the different expressions of the people in the audience, Todd continued: "At the beginning of spring next year, there will be three invading armies marching here at the same time. ”

Listening to the discussions in his ears, Todd re-explained the latest news brought by Tristan to everyone.

Unlike those who were not mentally prepared, the old knight Cumberland had guessed the offensive at the beginning of next spring, but he did not expect that there would be three forces attacking Twilight, and that the troops would be divided between land and sea.

The old man stood up and asked about one of his greatest concerns: "Then, when will the reinforcements from the church arrive?"

Todd and Tristan looked at each other, shook their heads, and said, "The Church won't send any reinforcements, and in this battle, Twilight will be left alone." ”

Karin asked, "We might be able to get everyone in Twilight out of here as soon as possible?"

Without waiting for Todd to speak, Huggins, who was sitting next to her, explained: "It's winter now, and even if you want to organize the evacuation of residents, you won't be able to do it until the beginning of spring, when the ice and snow melt." Moreover, these unarmed old and weak women and children in the town are easy to be discovered and chased by the enemy's cavalry. ”

Todd said at this time: "There is one of the biggest problems now, the enemy is in the dark, and we are in the light. It is not difficult for the enemy to know about the troop deployment and military strength of Duxi Town. We don't know anything about the other side's troops, commanders, and routes of march. ”

Rachel thought for a moment and laughed, "If you want to know the army information of the barbarians and pirates, I can help. ”

Seeing that everyone was focusing on herself, the woman said slowly: "Among the barbarians, I know many people who can provide us with a lot of useful information. ”

Cumberland stroked his beard and said, "Speaking of which, I also have a lot of acquaintances in Silver Ring City, who may be able to help us understand something." ”

The knight Dion, who had been silent, glanced at Tristan and suddenly said, "Lord Todd, regarding the war next spring, if there is a disparity in the strength of the enemy and us, or if the chances of victory are not good, will you consider leaving the people in the town behind and taking the Knights of the Dusk West to evacuate first?"

When everyone in the hall heard this speech, their expressions were stunned and their expressions were different.

Huggins glanced at Todd, his face full of concern, Alfonso's face flushed, as if he wanted to reprimand Dieng for his remarks, Cumberland's face was solemn, waiting for a reply from the pulpit, and Rachel and Karin looked intently ahead without making a sound.

"If there is a huge disparity in strength between us and the enemy, and the odds of victory are not great, Dusk Town really needs someone to stay......

Hearing Todd's answer, Dieng's eyes flashed with indescribable disappointment and disdain.

To the latter's surprise, Todd pointed to his forehead and said word by word: "I will let the people of the town evacuate first, and the person who stays will be me." ”

"What?!"

Everyone present, except Tristan, let out a loud exclamation.

Todd held out his hands, silenced the voices, and continued: "When I came here, it was a deserted beach, with only stones and gravel. After I wrote the first recruitment order, those who had been oppressed and tortured for a long time, in search of freedom, took all their belongings, and cherished their dreams, and began to build this "land of miracles". ”

Todd looked at the faces of everyone in the audience and recalled the bits and pieces of the year: "Among these people, there are people who have been ostracized, there are good people who have been framed, and there are innocent people who have been defined as heretics. The town of Twilight is their only hope of living with freedom and dignity, and it is also the last place where they can realize their ideals and ambitions. If I run away, it will be the most merciless betrayal of them!"

Todd looked out the window at the town, clenched his fists, remembered a passage in his mind, and said loudly: "I, Todd Fischer, as the chief of the Knights of the Twilight, choose to fight, maybe I will die like this, and if I choose to escape, I may be able to survive, year after year, and die." But I'd rather trade those days for a chance, a chance I have, to tell my enemies that you may be able to take my life, but you will never be able to trample on my freedom!"