The dim light of the fire danced on the cold fence, half-obscured, making the figure behind the iron fence seem blurred.

"Crunch ......"

A small sound, but in a cell where a pin drop can be heard, and the silence of a dead cell is like a tomb, the slightest sound will be infinitely amplified by its only listener, no less than a deafening thunderclap.

His closed eyes slowly opened, revealing bloodshot eyeballs, perhaps because he had been in the dark for so long, that even the beating firelight was so dazzling that he couldn't see the figure behind the firelight.

I could only vaguely tell that it was a red-haired figure sitting on a chair.

Just like myself, I look at myself.

The consciousness that had been silent for too long began to roll with the eyes staring at each other.

"Brandon... De Salion?"

"Rodria Azores. ”

Brandon, who was hugging his shoulders, sat on a chair with his legs crossed, staring at the elf prince behind the cell who looked like he was in a dream.

"We... Have you met?"

Hoarse, subtle voices, as if whispering.

"Nope. Brandon shook his head:

"This is the first time we've seen each other. ”

"But we know each other?"

"Yes, it's kind of familiar. ”

As the words fell, the elven prince's pupils dilated slightly, as if he had fallen into some kind of confusion.

Brandon stared at him, at the dying figure, as if it weren't Rodria Azores, but he... Brandon de Salion... Himself.

In all fairness, there are so many similarities between the two that Brandon wonders if it's some kind of coincidence.

They are all the second sons in the family, they are all the ones who are expected to be infinitely high but not very valued, and they are the ones who are excluded, they all have a brother who is full of ambitions and great ambitions, and they all have a father who is extraordinary, omniscient and omnipotent, and people don't know what they are doing......

After the Battle of Broken Mountain, Brandon learned the whole thing in detail from Loren, and after finally figuring out what the Eagle King was trying to do, the whole person was shocked.

Threaten the evil gods, kill the Holy Cross, and finally replace him......

This kind of ambition is completely beyond Brandon's comprehension!

Shocked, Brandon also begins to realize that his father, who is also omnipotent, may be planning some equally terrifying, arrogant, and ambitious plan.

“...... In the chess game, we are outside the chessboard, but we are confined to 64 black and white squares, and we manipulate 32 chess pieces to compete for victory.

We don't need to care about the idea of chess pieces, they will never replace us, let alone become our enemies, even if a war game is upgraded, it will not mean anything, and even if we eat the king chess, it will not cause us any harm.

So... It is the child's idea to compete on the chessboard, and the thinking must not be limited to the chessboard, but should be beyond the chessboard......"

That's right, Eckhat de Salion, the twelfth emperor of the empire, is a virtuous monarch who advocates the rule of the arch in everyone's eyes, maintains the balance of power in the empire, and his arrogance and ambition are ......

Than the ancestor of the same name and surname, Eckhart I, "Sage" Brandon, "Dragon Empress" Charlotte... It's going to be terrible!

Of course, none of these are the most critical.

Loren Turin... If it weren't for Loren, if it weren't for him, he would have been doomed by the Azorean elves.

Staying in a dark prison, losing one's soul and even losing one's mind... It should be yourself.

The expressionless elf prince opened his eyes slightly, as if he was constantly thinking about the impression in his mind.

Brandon sighed a little disappointed, and when Dalton told him that the guy was delirious, he had hoped that the other party was pretending.

Reluctantly, he got up from his chair and turned his head to leave.

But at the moment when he took the step, Brandon, who was in a complicated mood, retracted his steps and looked back at the still confused Rodria Azores.

"You ......"

"No, you're not allowed to speak, shut up. With an unmistakable tone, Brandon's words echoed through the cell.

He stared at the down-and-out figure, as if he weren't there for Loren... Another worldly self.

"You know, I wasn't going to kill you right away, though I wasn't going to let you go... But if nothing happens, I'll let you live for a few more years.

It doesn't matter if you are benevolent or not, if you live, the empire will still remember that there is such a terrible enemy, which can effectively unite the hearts of the majority of people, so that they will remember that I led them to win this war, and that it was I... Finished off the enemies who wanted to destroy the empire.

This is important to me, and even more important to the Empire, because the idea of ordinary people is too simple, and having a common terrible enemy can solve many problems.

But it is precisely because their ideas are too simple to understand the terrible war between the Holy Cross and the Black Cross, and they cannot understand what the outcome and fate of the world will fall into if either side wins... In their minds, this may have little to do with them.

Of course, this really has nothing to do with most of them, when you can't even live, how can you care if the church is dedicated to the Black Cross or the Holy Cross?

You won't, because you don't understand, don't understand... Like you and me, you may not know until now what a terrible thing your father's Eagle King's ambition was, just like I don't understand it now.

It's the similarity between you and me, and it's another reason why I let you live... The two of us are really quite alike.

I believe that behind your misdeeds and madness, there must be your bitterness and unspeakable reasons, because those people either look down on you, despise you, or cannot understand you, or cannot keep up with your train of thought.

But I'm different, I have a few close friends who can keep up with my ideas, and that's the gap between you and me.

Hehe... Do you know what's the funniest thing? It's not that I suddenly find out how terrible my father's arrangement is, it's that I find out how terrible his arrangement is... It's actually the one that best suits my thoughts.

Yes, although I have repeatedly said that I want to fight against my father's plans, to do something different, to be one and only Brandon, but in reality......

I knew very well that I wanted to see Loren die alone.

He's always a goal-oriented person, but he's rarely ambitious... No, no, no, it can't be said that it should be that he sometimes seems to win just to win, or even win to win for others, and rarely do anything for himself.

He doesn't seem to care what he gets, he just cares about the process in the game... The one who is clumsy, turns danger into a disaster, and cautiously finds the only way to victory... Process.

When your thoughts and purposes are known, you have to be obedient to others... This is what he said, and the reverse means that as long as others don't know your purpose, you can be invincible.

Loren... He guessed what I really thought or... wanted to hide something, so he decided to go it alone.

On the other hand, maybe it's because if I quit, he would be able to end the war on his own terms... Heroes who defeat the devil who are trying to take over the world deserve to be in control of the world.

And rightfully so... Right?

So even if you know that this kind of thinking is very dark, very negative, and very extreme, but... Sometimes I still can't help but feel that Loren Turin... What a horrible guy.

Whether it's unexpected or reasonable, whenever I think I know his ambitions and ideas, this guy always surprises me with something new.

Wizard advisor, Viscount of the Empire, Lord of Byrne... Later, he came to the aid of Boi, destroyed the centaurs, suppressed the dwarves, suppressed Arles, and acted like the southern overlord of the empire, fighting against the Heavenly Dome Palace.

But I can feel that he doesn't care about that, or that every goal is only for a certain purpose, and it can't be called 'ambition'.

The wizard advisor is to avoid the harassment of himself and those around him by the night watch;

the Viscount of the Empire, who gave him the opportunity to fight for the right to speak for the wizard community in the imperial capital;

The Lord of Byrne, is there to protect his beloved Charlotte.

Amazing, I've been with him for so many years but actually... Loren Turin, I still don't know anything about him.

But one thing is clear to me, Loren Turin... It's my friend.

He was the first friend who understood me, trusted me, and would not abandon me even after I had taken advantage of me, and I had hurt him, cheated him, and nearly killed him more than once, but he didn't care about it.

Yes, I know that he has actually used me more than once, tricked me, and even threatened me openly and secretly, but ...... So what does it matter?

We are friends and know very well where each other's boundaries lie.

He won't embarrass me, and I won't embarrass him too much.

I knew that Peter Fasa had been alive all along, and I even knew that he was now in the barracks, protected by the men of Byrne and the leader of my Night's Watch.

But it doesn't matter, as long as I don't let him show up in front of me, I'll accept it, and when I really can't help but want to kill him, Loren... He also knew how to stop me so that he would never be found.

That's enough.

Seeing my father and brother die unexpectedly, I know very well that the so-called emperor is not a person who really controls everything, not to mention that even if he really has the whole world, what can he do, what can he do with the money that cannot be spent, and what can he do with the power he monopolies......

To put it bluntly, I think it's more of a curse.

I once had the opportunity to meet my younger self, so I understand... My world is not about institutions, power and money, but about people.

When the last person who left a lasting impression on you for as long as you can remember leaves you, your world is dead.

When I love people, I hate people, people who are close relatives and people who are estranged... When they all died, so did my world.

Loren, Fitlonai, Celestial Dome... The imperial capital, where there is my whole world, if they are destroyed, my world will also be destroyed.

I'm going to protect my world.

I want to be for the people I love, the people I hate, the people I hate, the people I like, the people I want to get and the people I want to exclude, the people I want to destroy, the people I want to protect... I'm going to fight for them.

As an emperor, if I want to do this, I have to pay the price, not only to give those who are about to die for me a reason to die, but also to satisfy some of their ideas.

These ideas can be practical... Money, land, status and privileges can also be certain imaginary ... Titles, honors, or certain wishes.

Only then will they be content to fight and die, which is important to them and important to me.

So you get it, I need to save my friends, so I need to satisfy those people's thoughts.

And what they want most now is not money, titles and land, but you.

More precisely, it should be the head of the Rodria Azores, the last Azorean elf, the heir of the Eagle Queen.

Seeing your head hit the ground, your body separated, and you wallowing in a pool of muddy blood is a morale booster.

To be sure, there is no personal vendetta between you and me, and I was not going to make it difficult for you; I'd love to make friends with you, after all, it's such a rare opportunity to meet someone with a similar personality.

But I didn't have a choice, so I can only say I'm sorry.

Can you hear me, I'm apologizing to you, you shouldn't be completely deaf, right?

Uh, I can't hear you clearly, then see with your eyes, I know you're not blind.

Come, keep your eyes open, look here, see clearly, what is this?

Yes... Can't even see?

......”

With a little disappointment, Brandon withdrew his hand into the cage and let out a long sigh.

"Your Majesty. ”

Edward, who was expressionless, whispered softly, and appeared behind him at some point.

"All ready?"

Brandon didn't look back.

"The first group had already departed on the third day after Loren's departure, and the second group had assembled and was ready to go. ”

"How many?"

"Two thousand. ”

"Less, right?"

"Considering the goal of this battle, the significance and the battle losses of each legion, this number is enough, and there is no point in more. ”

"That's right. ”

Brandon, who had thought hard for a moment, shrugged his shoulders and approved of the decision.

"So when is it time to go, are you ready to prepare?"

"Everything has been arranged, all the affairs in the barracks are entrusted to the Duke of Elemand and the Grand Dukes, and Byrne has the Countess of the Red Blood Castle, and the affairs of the Empire are entrusted to the royal family and several royal cabinets for the time being......"

"There are still people from the Heavenly Dome Palace in the camp?"

"Uh... There's the former Keeper of the Seals, Leopold Metternich, and the Ecclesiastical Inquisitor, as well as the royal family's Lena de Salion, you know, the late War Minister Severin de Salion was her guardian, so ......"

"Her husband is Isaac and I know who she is. Brandon waved his hand lazily and sighed, "Hmm... Lena de Salion and sister-in-law Fitronay, hehe... If I die in the imperial capital, there will be another empress in the empire. ”

"Your Majesty!"

"Just kidding. Brandon shrugged and pouted at the fussed Edward, "Let's go, it's time to go." ”

"Oh, take him up, call me when he is executed, even if it's ......" As he walked out, Brandon pointed to the elven prince behind him, who had already passed out:

"Even if you say goodbye to before!"