It was the Flame King in military uniform, Terrence. {We don't write novels, we're just web text porters-

He wore the full armor of his expedition: white scale armor with fine gold thread, a high-topped golden flame helmet, knee pads, throat guards, handguards, and boots all glittering iron armor, and a heavy wool cloak adorned with gold buckles. His helmet had his mask stripped of it, revealing a grim face—but what a face!

There is a world of difference between his appearance and before departure! The originally handsome body is now bent and deformed like a vulture, the smooth and soft golden curls have turned into a bald head, and the top of the head is covered with age spots; The long pink neck is long on the bony shoulders, and the skin of the emaciated chin hangs loosely; The original huge and enthusiastic eyes were now faintly covered with haze, and the only thing that did not change was the unchanged smile on his face, and Vanessa could only recognize her husband from this smile.

"You're back at last, my queen." Terrence raised his right hand, oh my god, his muscular, strong, hands were now as thin as wood, like a handful of straw that could fall at any moment.

"Terrence? My king? Vanessa tried to ask, and hesitantly stepped forward, where several Freeman guards stood at one end of the hall, cloaked in scarlet cloaks and half-helmets with fire stripes. In the gallery of courtiers, important ministers gathered around the majestic oak and bronze gates, as if waiting for the king's new orders. How did they get in? Vanessa looked back at her questioning Sharanwei, only to find that Reina had become invisible, while Meese had a stern expression and a wary gaze at Terrence on his seat, ready to attack magically.

"It's me, don't be afraid, dear." Terrence said weakly.

Vanessa came to him and didn't touch his outstretched hand, "What's wrong with you?" What happened? ”

Terrence did not answer the queen's words, but with trembling hands pulled out several things from under his armor, which were a nude statue cast in bronze, a block of uranium iron, a feather of gold, and a barrel encrusted with precious stones. Vanessa's eyes widened, they represented the four major free trade city-states, Scambray, Haken Island, Fort Duke of Windsor, and the city-state of ale. "You've conquered them all?" Vanessa asked in the same trembling voice.

Terrence nodded, an old voice coming out of his mouth, "Not only them, but also Creon of the Land of the Wine Valley, Nadax, the new leader of the Sand Riding Country, and Camilla of the Land of the Mountains?" Hill-" Before he could finish speaking, a violent cough like a storm interrupted his words, and Terrence was now an early display of the old version compared to half a year ago.

"What are you going to say? What the hell is wrong with you? Vanessa looked at her husband warily, and she didn't even dare to pat him on the back to ease his horrible cough. She looked up and asked her archmagician, but Meese replied with the same confusion, he didn't know what had happened to Terrence.

"My dear, like you, I think of a qiē too simply." Terrence smiled bitterly, "I wish I could wipe out Olops as soon as possible, but I used forbidden magic without permission, and as a result, I was eaten by magic and became what I am now." ”

Vanessa couldn't believe her ears, there was such magic in the world, magic that could help people realize their ambitions to conquer the world?!

"I thought that the sooner I unified the whole realm, the sooner I could break that damned prophecy," Terrence said weakly, "but I was wrong, the prophecy could not be broken, and even if I killed that prophet, it would be a nightmare for the rest of my life." ”

"You killed Inara?" Vanessa was skeptical.

"Yes," Terrence glanced up at the queen with old eyes, "I know she told you that prophecy, and that she did everything before she died. I also knew that she had been under your protection all along, so I forced her to change the prophecy, but she was tortured and could not change her fate, so I had to kill her. ”

Imagining the already thin Inara's torture, Vanessa's heart was like a knife, "She has never been able to escape your pursuit." ”

"I have never escaped my fate." Terrence self-deprecatingly raised a hand in front of his eyes, "What's the use of conquering the whole world?" I'm not going to die. ”

I thought it was going to be a long and painful process. Vanessa slumped into her throne, she turned her head and looked at Terrence's loose hand, "What are you going to do now?" ”

"I'm going to—" Before Terrence could speak, His Highness's Meese had already condensed into a lightning bolt in his hand, and the king smiled miserably, turning the subject to the Grand Mage, "Don't worry, I won't hurt your princess." Along the way, thanks to your help, my fleet was able to sail smoothly, and I also arrogantly thought that this was my great achievement, and with your help, I could meet the gods and kill the gods, and be invincible. That's why I'm always thinking, faster, faster, to rule the world! A violent cough interrupted him, squeezing the last strength of the king's chest out of his lungs, and it was a long time before he regained his strength and continued, "In the course of my dealings with Creon in the Vale, I found that the strangeness of my body was becoming more and more obvious, and I was growing old in minutes, and I was terrified. But the good thing is that I always get good news from the Burning Nation—" he turned to look at Vanessa's face, "My good queen, you can always surprise me with a new policy today, an unbalanced interest rate tomorrow, and a lot of profits from the maritime trade in a few days." ”

Vanessa didn't know what Terrence meant, and usually, after complimenting himself, he would always use various means to make himself less comfortable. She couldn't help but tense up.

"I'm so proud, but I have to admit that you're better than me in politics." Terrence closed his eyes, rested for a moment, and finally said his intentions, "So, I intend to give you the throne, and my queen, today's great minister is the witness." ”

Vanessa stepped back vigilantly, "What do you want?" Give me a papier-mâché crown? ”

Terrence smiled wryly, "Don't be so vigilant, my dear, I admit to the injustice and mistreatment I have done to you, but it is just a little idle trick with only one purpose, to make you surrender to me and fall in love with me." But now it seems that there is no need for this," he said, pointing to his old and decrepit face, "I have only one breath left, and there is no need to lie to you, even if I give you a crown made of paper, please accept it gladly." What crown is not made of blood and fire, and which crown is not made of bones and tears? Believe me, this crown of flame will only be more tragic and heavier than the others! ”