"May I come in?"

Although it was a polite question, the man waiting outside the door had a tone that was not at all unquestionable, and the courtesy slamming of the door was like a wake-up call.

The little wizard lay alertly by the door, staring at the patient man outside the door through the crack, pursing his lips so tightly that he didn't even dare to take a breath.

Conod de Salion... What is he here to do?

The door was unlocked, and Conod, with a grim face, knocked again:

"Lord Ain Rand, I know you're in there - if you don't want me in, just tell me, there's no need to play stupid. ”

There was still no response behind the door.

"Well...", Prince Sakran did not have the slightest annoyed expression: "Your Excellency Ain Rand, I wish you a good mood, excuse me. ”

The little wizard behind the door took a deep breath and breathed as deeply as he could. He clenched the handle firmly and pushed the door open.

"I'm sorry, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Connaught. ”

"Nothing to be sorry for, Lord Ain Rand. Conod, who was just about to turn away, stopped, his cold face showed a hint of gentleness, and it was still the unquestionable tone:

"Can we go inside and talk, it's too cold in the winter in Broken Boundary Mountain. ”

Of course, it was impossible for a small wizard to refuse, especially in the face of Prince Sackland, she couldn't think of any good reason - majesty, imposing and that expression, the approachable and talkative Brandon was completely opposite.

The room is a small reading room, and the Broken Mountain Fortress also has a large number of alchemists and apothecaries, who serve as legion auxiliaries for the Broken Mountain Fortress. Many of them were recruited from East and West Sackland on temporary orders, and some apprentices from wizarding colleges had to join the army because they could not afford the high tuition fees.

Despite numerous protests against the Holy Cross, a good apothecary can save hundreds of wounded soldiers, and skilled alchemists are indispensable to the Legion's logistics.

Holding the glass of water in her hand, the little wizard sat opposite Conod with her head bowed, her eyes constantly sweeping over the other person's face, and every moment her eyes touched made her nervous to the point of fidgeting.

No matter how slow she was, Al Yin still knew that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was on odds with Brandon, and that Loren was Brandon's wizarding advisor—she wasn't Isaac, and of course she knew what that meant.

"Don't be so nervous, Lord Ain Rand, I'm just passing by and suddenly wanting to say hello to you. ”

Conod said calmly, "You don't need to worry about what I'm going to do to you—yes, I don't have a good relationship with Brandon, but I'm not my brother who likes to mess around, and I won't deliberately hurt the innocent people around him." ”

"In fact, I wanted to thank you more than just saying hello by the way. ”

"Thank you?" a trace of confusion flashed on the little wizard's face, he didn't expect the other party to say this, and looked at him in a daze.

Wrong... It should be that this majestic Prince Sackland would actually express his gratitude to others?

"Sorry, sorry, but I don't really understand ......"

"The alchemists of the fortress, they have already told me. ”

Conod spoke slowly, interrupting Ain's words, "You helped them complete a simple recipe that allowed the fortress to be made from the only materials it had in the rear even if it was cut off from supply, and although it was slightly less powerful and effective, it was at least effective. ”

"For this, as the commander of the Broken Mountain Fortress, I must express my sincerest gratitude to you - and I can assure you that the Broken Mountain Fortress will never forget your exploits, and we will name this new type of ignition agent after you!"

"Use, use my name?!"

Ai Yin, who had just drunk the saliva, almost sprayed directly on Conod's face:

"No, no, no... You, you're so kind! It's really nothing, I'm just helping out, the alchemists of the fortress are almost successful, and even if they don't have me, it's only a matter of time!"

"Without you, they would have had at least another four or five years to succeed, at least. Conod's expression remained unchanged and looked at Ain, who was a little cramped:

"Lord Ain Rand, you alone have achieved more than ten years of work by twelve alchemists, and you definitely deserve this honor. ”

"Thank you for the compliment......" The slightly agitated little wizard blushed slightly, but she still maintained the most basic sanity - she hadn't forgotten that it was the man in front of her, who had almost killed them all while in the camp.

It was also his order that put the innocent Loren in prison and hanged Isaac's father as a deserter.

This man is Loren's enemy and is not worthy of his trust.

"I am a devout believer in the Holy Cross, but that doesn't stop me from having admiration and respect for you alchemists. ”

Conod spoke softly, his right hand tapping on the table as if thinking about something: "Do you know what made the royal family of de Salion to vigorously develop alchemy and pharmacy in Sackland despite the opposition of the Holy Cross Church?"

The little wizard shook his head politely, waiting for an answer.

"Because unlike other wizards, you are down-to-earth, and every experiment you do has an accurate and unmistakable goal, and whether you fail or succeed, what you do is meaningful, and it can have a real impact on everything around you, on all aspects. ”

"Your pragmatism has conquered the down-to-earth Sakrins, and clarity and dedication to purpose are the true greatness of alchemists!"

Hearing this, the little wizard couldn't help but straighten his back and nodded slightly, even though he understood that the other party was deliberately showing favor.

"Pragmatic and with clear goals... Amazing quality. Conod said slowly, almost with an exclamation:

"Unfortunately, it's getting harder and harder to see this quality – like my brother, Brandon de Salion, and his wizarding advisor, your friend......

Loren Turin, they don't see such qualities in them. ”

The smile on Ai Yin's face gradually faded, and her pupils diated little by little: "You, what are you talking about?"

"They're all smart, they're all good at avoiding mistakes, using their surroundings and the resources they have to their advantage, and making things work in their favor, which even I admire.

So maybe they're pragmatic, but do they really have a clear goal?

Or rather... Do they really know what their ultimate goal is, I doubt that very much.

Winning a victory by going against your brother, or chasing lost knowledge and seeking revenge – these are not clear goals, because you can't find the criteria for success.

I've gotten to know your friend Loren, who is really good at managing situations and being extremely efficient at completing a task, and Brandon is similar, failing only a handful of times.

In a person's life, there should be an 'ultimate goal', and everything else must be served for this purpose.

But none of them know what their goals are, like... Like a fish swimming against the current, trying its best to find the waves that can ride the momentum, crossing one dangerous shoal after another, surviving in one crisis after another, and getting what you want;

But they don't know where the goal is, where the end is, they just swim against the current, and their 'goal' is close at hand, and they can quickly reach and obtain.

That's not a goal, at least not a goal that you need to spend at least 40 years chasing and planning - so you can only see the people in front of you, and you can never understand what it will be like to see people in 40 years, and what kind of thoughts they will have.

It's like Brandon and your friend Loren can never understand the ambivalence of wanting to kill my own brother and protect him as much as possible.

The value of a 'dragon rider' to the Empire is immeasurable, but so is Brandon's potential destructiveness.

They can't see it, so they won't understand how I did it, they won't guess my plan, and that's their weakness. ”

Putting down the water glass in his hand, Conod, who got up silently, looked coldly at the little wizard who was forced to be calm:

"If your friend comes back alive, please be sure to tell him what I said today. ”