The steps of the tower are not steep, but due to weathering, there are a few rocks that serve as steps that are a little shaky to step on. Pen | fun | pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 info to fix this step, another amount of money. Sebastian couldn't help but smile wryly at the thought of this.

The scholar walked very slowly, and he had to walk slowly at the pace of the old man. The two walked for a long time, both silent.

"His Majesty's temperament is becoming more and more elusive, conceited, drunk, impatient, and even a little moody. The old man waited until there was no one around, and broke the silence, "I served Emperor Niklaus Rudolph, who was wise, tolerant, and strategic. ”

"The emperor created the great feat of conquering the western continent and establishing a colony. Sebastian replied simply, knowing that the old man liked to tell the truth that everyone knew, that is, nonsense.

"It has been said that personality is partly inherited from parents, education and the environment that influence personality. "I have taught the current emperor, when he was a prince, but I do not admit that my education was a failure. Maybe the genetic factor is too powerful. ”

Sebastian didn't understand why the old man was talking about education, maybe he was reminiscing about his youth.

"The character is really unpredictable. When Yudit Rudolph ascended to the throne, history records that he was clever, shrewd, and brave, but he did not expect that soon after, he ordered the slaughter of all prisoners, even thieves. The old man touched his beard, "The law is too strict, and the people are angry, and it is still a mystery about the change in Yudit's temperament." ”

Sebastian whispered, "Bachelor, Your Majesty is very disgusted by the deeds of the tyrant, and even avoids talking about it. It's better for us to talk less. ”

The scholar looked at Sebastian with slightly cloudy eyes, and after a while, he whispered: "Prime Minister, you are a person trusted by His Majesty the Emperor, and unlike an old man like me, you have time. ”

"Is there time, what do you want me to do?" Sebastian was puzzled, the old man had a lot to say today.

"Investigate, listen, and maintain the stability of the Empire. The old man turned his head to the exit of the inner city, "Learning from history, learning from books, and planting the seeds of hope for the future." ”

Sebasti hates riddles, he can't bear it, and his tone is a little tough: "Scholar, if you have something to say, just say it directly." ”

"Our emperors are too dependent on magic. The old man pointed to the entrance to the inner city, and Sebastian looked in the direction of his finger, and on both sides of the entrance to the inner city, there were huge statues, the great knight Buck Browning on the left, holding a huge war hammer in his right hand, a diamond-shaped shield in his left hand with a lion's head coat of arms, and the prophet Michel von Kleidermann on the right, holding an oval object in his left hand and a staff in his right hand. Further inside, the huge statue in the middle is the original Emperor Rhodes Rudolph, holding a long sword in his right hand, pointing to the sky, and an eagle resting on his left shoulder, his famous bird friend "Meteor".

"The Grand Knight Buck Browning helped Emperor Rhodes and made great achievements, but unfortunately died heroically when he stormed the Yong'an Palace of the Rising Sun Empire. The scholar narrowed his eyes.

Sebastian nodded: "Legend has it that the Rising Sun Empire launched a huge magic array, the entire capital of the Four Holy Cities was destroyed, and countless victims were killed. ”

The scholar touched the necklace, the weight made him uncomfortable, he opened his legs, and continued to descend: "So the first emperor became obsessed with magic, and spent his whole life unlocking the secrets of the magic array of the Four Holy Cities. Michel von Cleidermann discovered the Arcane Crystal, which resembled an oval on a statue, much to the Emperor's excitement. ”

"The school city acknowledges these legends?" Sebastian glanced at the walls of the inner city, where there were several gaps in the battlements.

The scholar snorted softly, seemingly disdainful, but did not show it obviously: "We believe in science, just like you, Prime Minister, believe that with the principle of leverage, you can carry boulders." But the Council of Magic, on the other hand, believes that the earth element can be controlled. I believe that the history of magic is inextricably linked to the history of empires. But they monopolized the research and refused to allow the school city to participate. ”

"What do you want me to do?Decree that the Magical Council should open up the field of research?" Sebastian shook his head, "This is impossible, the rule set by the first emperor: the Empire strongly supports magical research, and no one is allowed to interfere, obstruct, or steal secrets. ”

"No, I'm worried, Prime Minister, I have studied history during my long period of study in the school, and some of the records of the royal historians are vague or deliberately omitted. The old man was holding on to the stone handrail, and suddenly his hand slipped, and Sebastian hurriedly held him up.

"But I have to admit that the sacrifice of the magicians in the year of war is genuine. Sebastian touched the handrail, and the lime layer on it had loosened. It has to be repaired here too, and Krauser will go crazy.

"Maybe the Council of Magic isn't a liar, and mages are useful - except for those who were killed. I'm almost in the ground, Prime Minister, you are an upright, rational person. Listen to me, the emperors are too dependent on magicians. The old man stared into Sebastian's eyes, "What I'm going to say next, please swear never to divulge it." ”

Sebastian frowned and was silent for a moment, he finally couldn't resist his curiosity, also out of duty to the Empire, raised his right hand, and solemnly swore an oath.

The scholar nodded with satisfaction and looked at the statue of Emperor Rhodes: "Do you know that the school city was abandoned? When I was a student, I found a broken parchment, and the records on it were amazing. Emperor Rhodes asked the Prophet Muhammad to study the elixir of immortality, but he did not get it until he died. How could it be?" The scholar sighed and shook his head, "Before his death, the emperor ordered the execution of the Prophet Muhammad, who predicted the destruction of the empire. ”

Sebastian looked around vigilantly, fearing that the intelligence chief's minions would be hiding in the shadows and eavesdropping. There was no one around. He wondered, "The magician is exempt from the death penalty." I remember that the first emperor decreed this decree, and the Minister of Justice could testify that the Imperial Penal Code, prepared by the Ministry of Justice, had a provision exempting magicians from the death penalty. ”

"Words are like the wind, colorless and tasteless, and when it blows, it disperses. Prime Minister, the first emperor did not issue a decree, but a promise to a magician. He broke his promise. ”

"What does the prophecy say?"

"When the sun rises in the west, the sea in the south goes against the current, and when the moon sets in the east, the wind blows down the snow. The empire is a hundred years old and will never be returned. The scholar stroked his beard and narrowed his eyes, "The prophet's prophecy is incredible. ”

Sebastian looked at the sun hanging high in the sky, which had begun to set to the west. You've been pretending to be confused, or you're confused and sober. "There is no scientific basis for that prophecy, scholars, and we believe in science. ”

"When I was younger, I spent a long time searching for clues to the prophecy of the polar invasion, but I was repulsed. The Council of Magic rises, and the magicians make a name for themselves. There are still many unknown phenomena in science that cannot be explained. The old man turned his head and burst into tears, "This year is the 100th anniversary of the empire, and I have been worried, Prime Minister, be careful." ”

Sebastian said to the scholar: "The phenomena mentioned in the prophecy do not happen at all, there is no natural law. He swore firmly: "As long as I am Prime Minister, I will do my best for the Empire." ”

In the living room of the Prime Minister's Tower, the room was illuminated by oil lamps, and it was late at night. Sebastian spent the whole afternoon meeting with many people and telling them lies about the Emperor's absence. The devil knows where the emperor was drunk in the afternoon. In the evenings, he dealt with the backlog of documents during the day and also borrowed a large number of books from the Royal Library. Since becoming prime minister, he has found that his knowledge is becoming less and less, and just "Heraldry" and "Imperial Chronicles" give him headaches. He focused on rote memorization of the family crests of the nobles, remembering the deeds of the empire over the past hundred years.

In the winter of the 25th year of the imperial calendar, Yudit Rudolph ascended the throne at the age of 29, and his fiery red hair made him look like a fierce lion surrounded by flames, and the whole country looked at him as the second emperor to open up a new history of the empire. However, in the 33rd year of the imperial calendar, Emperor Judit Rudolph suddenly changed his temperament and became bloodthirsty, and ordered the slaughter of criminals throughout the country, from murderers to thieves who stole a piece of bread. In the autumn of the 36th year of the imperial calendar, Peter Rudolph, the eldest son of Judit Rudolph, raised his sword in the Emperor's Council and killed Yudit on the throne of thunder.

Sebastian flipped through the "Genealogy of the Imperial Family", and although he told the old bachelor not to mention tyrants and emperors, in his heart, he himself wanted to read that history and get a glimpse of it.

After Peter Rudolph murdered the king and killed his relatives, the empress Anna Rudolph, who had been married to him for many years, finally became pregnant, and the following year, Niklaus Rudolph was born. Heaven gave him the throne and the heir he had longed for for many years. From then until her death, the Empress was unborn," Sebastian reads word for word, "as the sole heir, Niklaus Rudolph was gifted with great talent from an early age, and when he ascended to the throne, he commanded the expeditions to the west, opening up colonies in the New World for the Empire. ”

Sebastian felt uncomfortable sitting and moved the book, and a document fell to the floor. He picked it up carefully, blew on it, unsealed the wax, and read: "2 missing rangers from the Misty Forest of Gascanic. ”

"Governor Hugh Torres, I can't wait to report everything down, it's normal for 2 people to be missing. Sebastian shook his head with a wry smile, casually put the papers aside, stood up, and stared out the window.

The bedroom of the Prime Minister's Tower faces the river in the inner city, and at night the river sparkles as long as there is starlight, and the huge statue of Emperor Rhodes is imprinted upside down in the water.

For the words of the university scholar during the day, Sebastian couldn't let go of it for a long time.

Words are like the wind, which blows through the sea and stirs up waves.