"We've tried to storm it, but with little success," Ser Cedric turned his big belly, his fiery beard fluttering in front of Vanessa's eyes, "the walls of the Halberd Fortress are magically blessed, and neither the siege engines nor the oil barrels will work against it. ”

"That's why I'm here," Vanessa smirkedly pointed to the light outside the tent, "I've got a horse that can penetrate a qiē obstacle, and with the right rider, the gates of the Halberd Castle will open before us." ”

"It's not that simple," Donald shook his head, "we once breached a battlement, but when we entered the Urn City, we encountered unprecedented resistance. Even now, the battle-hardened knight still had a lingering palpitation, "They seem to have been prepared, each of them has an ominous green glow in their eyes, and their combat strength is almost as good as ten, and we are crushed." The knight bowed his head as he admitted his defeat, and everyone in the tent fell silent as they remembered the tragic defeat.

"Green," Vanessa chewed on the word, "what is the magic of the Opland family?" ”

"Ascension." Donald gave the answer, "Old Tess's magic is to increase people's appetite, and she has cured countless people of anorexia in her life. Her grandson, on the other hand, was able to run faster, but he was born without legs and was a lifelong disability. ”

"If this trend continues, the magic of House Opland should have declined a long time ago, but they still rule the castle, why is that?"

"Because more powerful magic genes are constantly being added." Cedric threw a parchment scroll on the table, which detailed the genealogy of the Opland family, "Since that crippled boy, their family has married women with powerful magic, and with each successive generation of lords, the height of the Halberd Castle increases by one layer, and the world does not know what the purpose of this is and what their magic is." ”

Vanessa remembered the legend of Weima's nurse again, and couldn't help but shake her head and expel this terrible thought, "That is, the current lord has the magic to increase his combat effectiveness, and he created those enhanced warriors to fight for himself. ”

"Quite possibly." Donald and Cedric nodded at the same time.

"Let me go," Brant, who had been silent, suddenly spoke, "I was to the Halberd Castle when I accompanied the Silver King on his mission to the Land of Midsummer, and although the castle was nowhere near as high as it is now, I was in contact with the current lord of the city, Kolun?" Opland played together for a summer, and I believe he will listen to me. ”

"That would be suicidal," Vanessa didn't lift her eyelids, "and you'll be shot like a hedgehog before you get to the foot of the walls." Besides, Kron is no longer the bare-bottomed little boy you knew when you were a kid, and he's carried away by his own magic, thinking that the Halberd Castle can fight against the entire Midsummer Nation. You don't have to bother convincing him," Vanessa pointed to the prince's hand, "you have more magic, you just need to move your fingers. ”

Instinctively, Brant pressed his hand to the hilt of his sword and took a step back, "My magic isn't for hurting friends. ”

Vanessa shrugged her shoulders and looked "I knew", "Look, chivalry has once again triumphed over your love for me." ”

"It's not like that—" Brandt tried to plead, but was again ruthlessly interrupted by the princess.

"It's ineffective, and there's no need to negotiate, since Kelun doesn't eat hard and soft, it seems that we have to start with his sore spots," Vanessa stared at the hundred-foot-high Halberd Castle outside the tent, and muttered, "People have weaknesses, where is Kelun's weakness?" ”

"As an adult, Kolun rarely appears in public," Donald pointed to the air intake window of Castle Black, "his realm is also managed by stewards and warlords, and it is said that every day, the butler personally reports to him the affairs of the city and the official documents from Neverwinter, and no outsiders are allowed to meet this mysterious lord." ”

"Some say he has the horns of a bull and the thighs of a dragon," said Cedric, whose red beard fluttered up and down, and his equally red face was covered with mockery, "but without the temper of a bull and the power of a dragon, this dignity can only hide in the castle all day long, and dare not see anyone." ”

"Defects in physiognomy are not enough to keep a man away from the world for many years." Vanessa shook her head, "My gut tells me that this is still something to do with magic. ”

As we were talking, there was a sudden commotion in the barracks. There was a woman's voice, and there was a scolding from the military cao.

"What's going on?" Donald asked the guards.

"A lady," the guard reported, "says her name is Kastina, and asks to see Her Highness." ”

"Kastina?" Vanessa and Brant looked at each other, "Why is she here?" The princess motioned to bring the Castina into the tent, and her gaze fell on Brandt's face in confusion, and although the latter was also confused, there was still a sour feeling in her heart, as if Castina had followed Brant all the way, and not for herself.

After a while, Castina was brought in. Vanessa couldn't help but wonder if this woman was really that sweet and lovely aristocratic girl. The woman in front of her was wearing a long gray cloth dress, although the color was old, but the workmanship was first-class, and it could be seen that she chose such an inconspicuous skirt in order not to attract attention, the skirt and the bottom edge were full of dust and mud, and the folds on one side were scratched and torn, which made her look wolf-bèi. In her memory, Castina was so delicate and beautiful, like a quiet and fragile glass vase, but now her face was like a wheat field after frost, withered. The satin-smooth skin had withered and turned into parchment for memorization; The golden curls of the sun's hair hung low behind his head, like a lifeless ponytail; The most painful thing is that her fawn-like eyes have lost their brilliance, and in just a few months, she is as sluggish as a dying woman.

"Kastina?" Brant tried to call her name.

"Prince Brandt!" Recognized the most familiar face in the room, Castina threw herself into Brant's arms, and cried aloud.

(l~1`x*>+``+