When the first rays of dawn pierced the horizon, Charlotte Turin, alone, was already outside the door of the palace hall.

Like every time she woke up in the past few years, the girl in her prime pressed her hands in front of her and took a deep breath, straightened her towering neck and chest, and pursed the corners of her mouth.

Turning around, her eyes widened with her sword eyebrows raised, just like a thousand reds blooming, from Charlotte Turin to the Count of the Red Blood Castle, the Lord of Turin.

Today, today.

The Council of the Round Table, an ancient institution that has been passed down for centuries in the land of Byrne since the beginning of the Knights' Age, has established Byrne's unity and created a powerful nation.

In the time of the Black Duke, Byrne once flourished and even reached its peak, Boe was an ally of Byrne, the dwarves and the empire signed a treaty under Byrne's brokerage, the centaurs were once forced to retreat to the east of the Great Green Sea, and the trolls of Arles were almost extinct;

From the ninth to the tenth generation, the empire entrusted almost all of the eastern and southern affairs to Byrne, and in the Heavenly Dome and the Red Blood Castle, the Black Duke Roland even earned the title of "Vice-Emperor".

When the dragon queen Charlotte I ascended the throne, even the people of Sakrand were convinced that the empress would marry the "Black Duke", and that the surnames Turin and de Salion would be combined in this way.

That year was also Turin's last swan song;

Today, however, will be the beginning of the revival of Turin.

The countess raised her head silently, her starry eyes looked back, and the closed palace gate was still brand new, without the slightest trace of time.

For a moment, she seemed to see illusory shadows, and those who had once sat on the chair of Turin were looking through the door from behind, talking about themselves.

What are they talking about, what do they think of themselves......

"It's such an early wake-up. ”

The abrupt voice of the words startled Charlotte, and when she turned back in a panic, she saw the figure of the comer.

"Did you just get up, or ......" The black-haired wizard who walked with his hands behind his back deliberately dragged a long note:

"Didn't sleep at all?"

The countess glanced at Loren and turned back, preferring to look at the distant scenery rather than at him.

"Charles told me that the last knight lords, the Angots of Fort Hill Rock, had arrived last night. Smiling slightly, Loren stood beside her quietly: "So ......"

"I don't need you to remind me, I know. With a cold snort, Charlotte raised her head slightly: "It's today." ”

Looking at Charlotte, who was not nervous and unfazed, the black-haired wizard was silent, and the hands behind him hid the envelope sent by Little Yod in his sleeve.

"Do you have any news from the Imperial Mission?" asked the countess, pretending to be casual.

Loren shrugged: "It's business as usual, the original mission will arrive at the Red Blood Castle the day before yesterday, and the will of the Heavenly Dome Palace will be read out at that time-roughly the content of pacification and compensation, Yuli Wirtz has already passed through the bottom in advance." ”

"According to the agreement we reached, he will try to delay the mission for a few days to buy us time... But that's seven days at most. ”

"Seven days... There are four days left before today. Charlotte's eyes flickered: "That means we only have four days." ”

The black-haired wizard bowed slightly.

If the Council of the Round Table fails to elect a new Duke within four days, Byrne will have to accept the mediation of the Celestial Dome and the Empire.

If you raise a duke together, you will become a duke "appointed" by the empire!

The significance of this can be imagined.

"Are you ready, it's the first day. The black-haired wizard suddenly asked, "It will also be your first battle... Your performance will determine how they perceive you. ”

Charlotte frowned slightly, and glanced at Loren on the side in some surprise.

"To them, you are the House of Turin, the Red Blood Castle, and how much you can make them fear you, they will have as much fear of the Red Blood Castle and Turin. Loren suddenly sighed:

"Charlotte... You want to represent more than just yourself. ”

"You... What's going on today?"

The countess looked back in amazement and stared at the black-haired wizard's face in confusion: "Why did you suddenly become so sentimental?"

"Uh, is there one?"

"Yes, and it's weird, like an old man. Charlotte glanced at him contemptuously, with a hint of disapproval in her tone: "Long-winded, mother-in-law... Are you irritated by someone's words?"

Loren was speechless.

Charlotte glanced at him again, and her tone was very indifferent: "If it's because of Ayton Grenwell's matter... Rest assured, I won't accept his proposal. ”

"Charles told me, you've already met him, right?"

As the words fell, the black-haired wizard suddenly looked sideways and looked at the countess beside him in disbelief.

"What, is it strange?" Charlotte snorted, "I know what this guy is doing... Indeed, I will do whatever it takes to revive the Turin family, but not so much that Turin will become a vassal of Grenwell!"

"Besides, if I do that, won't a guy have no way to explain to his master?"

Without looking at him, the corners of Charlotte's mouth hooked up with a touch of pride, and said teasingly: "Am I right, Wizard Advisor of His Highness Brandon?"

But when she looked sideways, there was no embarrassment or smile on the black-haired wizard's face, and his dark pupils stared at her with great solemnity.

"You... How, how to ......"

"Not Ayton Grenwell. Loren interrupted her in a deep voice: "It's not him. ”

After a pause, the black-haired wizard sighed: "Our original plan was to put you at the center of everything, and if the plan goes well, you will become the Duke of Byrne, which we said at the beginning." ”

"But because... Because of someone, I suddenly realized that I might have made a very serious mistake, or habitual thinking, always thinking that everyone else should be like me, but... Not really. ”

"What do you mean?"

"What do you really want?" Loren looked into Charlotte's eyes, "In other words... Is that really what you want to be the Duke of Byrne?"

"If it's really just to save the glory of the House of Turin and reclaim the title of Duke of Byrne... To be honest, there is a way to do it, you don't have to stick to such a thing, or even stick to this opportunity!"

In a sense, it may be the opposite. Loren's expression was calm, but his tone was very serious: "You are also anxious to get something, the more difficult it is to get, and what you get may be completely different from what you imagined!"

"Even if we go well, the final result is still the same, or even worse—the Heavenly Dome Palace will continue to put pressure on you, and the restlessness within Byrne will not be calmed;"

"Now this torment will be repeated day after day, until one day you will have a complete breakdown... Is this really what you want?"

Charlotte froze, and it took five seconds for her to wake up from her shock:

"But if so, our plan, your plan ......"

"Forget it, just as if it didn't exist. Facing Charlotte's incredulous eyes, the black-haired wizard was surprisingly calm at this moment: "And tell me, what exactly do you really want?"

What I really want......

"Let the Turin family, which fell at the hands of Roland Turin, revive ......" Charlotte, who muttered in a low voice, became more and more determined, and her sharp gaze contained a certain burning power, like substance:

"That's what I want!"

"Then go ahead, let these people see how good we are, see how good you are!" This time, Loren pressed Charlotte's shoulder, and the corners of his mouth raised:

"This is not a meeting, this is a war, it is a fight, it is a duel! You have to do everything you can, by any means, even to betray someone you trust at a critical moment - of course, the price will be heavy, but if it is necessary and appropriate, then do not hesitate!"

Charlotte raised her head slightly, staring at the black-haired wizard's gaze with an incomparably complex gaze.

With his hands behind his back, the smiling black-haired wizard clutched the envelope in his sleeve.

The sun rises over the horizon.

Bathed in golden sunlight, the closed door slowly opened.