When the glimmer of light entered the sockets, Loren and the little wizard realized that they had unknowingly reached the exit of the cave.

Outside the cave, there is the top of Jufeng Mountain.

At this time, the morning sun had not even climbed halfway up the mountain—in other words, they had climbed from the bottom of the mountain to the top of the mountain for not even an hour.

But the black-haired wizard, who was in a sleepy mood and was extremely tired, didn't care about any of this, and sat down casually at a place at the mouth of the cave, his mind still echoing the words of the silver dragon before.

You'll be impressed with him - that's Brandon's exact words, in one sentence.

And not in the way you imagined it to be.

There were two things that the black-haired wizard was particularly concerned about - although it was only for a moment, but judging by the Silver Dragon's disdain for the Azorean elves, at least in his eyes, this "elven invasion" was not a particularly important thing.

Why?

Judging from the actual experience of Loren, this war has reached the point of all-out war, and a single defeat may destroy the country... Why don't the dragons take it seriously, and even disdain the elves who wield great power?

This is just a giant dragon who has been killed on the battlefield against the elves!

Well, if this can also be explained as "dragon's pride", looking down on elves and humans alike, or if they know some secrets that neither they nor the empire know......

Who are the "cowards" hiding behind themselves?

Asrael?

If yes, then does it prove that they knew each other in the past?

If so, does that mean that this is not the first time that a similar situation has been made - the hat-wearing Logan, the Black Duke Roland, have all made a pact with some evil god to fight hand in hand with the dragons?

But why, he knew he would come back?

No, more importantly, why did he know that he must have come on behalf of Asreel?

Outside the cave, the howling cold wind from the top of the mountain kept pouring in, mixed with the sparse white snow, which was dyed golden by the morning light.

Equally embarrassed, Ain leaned cautiously beside him, secretly glancing at the brooding black-haired wizard with trepidation, and stopped talking a few times.

Loren, who was tired, couldn't help but hook the corners of his mouth.

"Just ask. ”

The black-haired wizard said lazily, his gaze turned sideways to the corner of his eye, "You must have a lot to know... Otherwise, you wouldn't be Ain, but our omniscient Isaac. ”

"People aren't that megalomaniac!"

The little wizard who was "enraged" blurted out a word, but he was still a little hesitant, snorted coldly, and deliberately turned his head away, "There's nothing to know!"

"What's more, even if you ask, you, a big liar, will only make up a bunch of stories to deceive me, and asking is in vain. ”

Muttering to herself, her voice getting quieter

"I swear, I won't lie to you this time?" Loren raised his right hand with a lazy smile, "I'll answer whatever you ask." ”

"I don't believe you!"

"Then I'll just say it, you can listen to it if you want. ”

"If you don't want to hear it, don't say it!"

"Why?"

"No, why, you're not allowed to say!"

"Even if it's fake, can you just listen to the story?"

"Don't listen!"

"But you won't let me say it, I want to say it again. ”

"If you want to say it, you can't say it!" ......

The two went back and forth and quarreled for nearly a quarter of an hour.

Looking at the little wizard with puffed cheeks and pouting, the black-haired wizard "fluttered" and laughed.

Ai Yin, who was "enraged", blushed with anger, but as if he was infected, he couldn't help but curl the corners of his mouth slightly, and turned his head to the side with a light snort, no longer looking at him.

"Hey, you two are here!"

With a hint of surprise, a very familiar voice came from the depths of the cavern.

With a long sigh of relief, and without an expression of relief or helplessness, the black-haired wizard with a tired face looked in the direction where the sound came from.

They were in a state of embarrassment, as if they had just fallen off a cliff, and then they were beaten by a beating, and the prince's majesty limped and ran towards them, and the clothes on their bodies had almost turned into strips of rags, and there was no place left intact from head to toe.

With a blue nose and swollen eyes, and a sunny-like smile on his face, his hair was messed up like a bird's nest, and he leaped from three steps away, opening his arms and pounced on Loren!

Then he lay down steadily and landed one step away.

Face to the ground first.

"Poof!"

Listening to the crisp voice, Loren and the little wizard trembled at the same time, frowning a little curious, and a little uneasy look at the guy who seemed to have thrown himself to death.

"How can you ~ do this!"

A lion raised his head sharply, and Brandon, with a dusty face, looked at the two of them dissatisfied, and frightened them again

"At this time, as my friend, shouldn't I also tacitly pounce on me, hug me and feel the surprise of each other's survival?!"

No, I'm afraid that my current physical condition will not be able to withstand your rocket hammer.

Loren complained silently in his heart.

Coughing lightly, he was a little short of breath and lowered his head silently, "...... I'm sorry. ”

His Royal Highness the Prince, who heard the apology, immediately changed his expression, revealing a satisfied smile, "Well, it's good to know that you apologize, I forgive you!"

The little wizard on the side pursed his lips and quickly lowered his head.

The black-haired wizard, who was also holding back a smile, desperately pressed the corners of his mouth that he wanted to provoke.

That's right, this is probably one of the reasons why he and Brandon have such a good relationship, in some things, this Royal Highness is really a fish memory, and it can be forgotten in the blink of an eye.

"Alright, let's get down to business. ”

Beating the dust, patting his face, and getting up, Brandon stared at Loren with a "very serious" posture, "Miracis has already told me, she said that you and Enzo have met once, and have reached some... Protocol?"

The black-haired wizard raised an eyebrow.

He stole a glance at Al Yin beside him, and the little wizard who turned his head curled up in a ball, pretending to rest, but he couldn't resist the urge of curiosity and pricked up his ears desperately.

Is... Isn't that still something to know?

"I took a little risk and almost got swallowed, but... You're right. ”

With a tired sigh, Loren smiled helplessly, "Silver Dragon Enzo, he seems to be very disdainful of the Azorean elves, and he doesn't think these long ears will be a problem. ”

"But he promised to join us when necessary to help us win the war. ”

Brandon, with a solemn expression, nodded, which was basically the same as the last time he had been given, and his eyes were still fixed on the black-haired wizard, indicating that he would continue.

"Other than that, he didn't get too angry with us about Iolet's death, at least that's what I saw. Loren said softly, "You're right, the leader of the dragon clan is indeed impressive. ”

"Well, that's good news!"

Raising his eyebrows, Brandon's expression stretched a little, "The goal of this trip to Jufeng Mountain is half achieved so far!"

Loren nodded approvingly.

That's right, in this situation, as long as the dragon doesn't turn into an enemy, it's already thankful.

As for getting the dragon's exact promise... That was only an ideal goal, and neither expected a single meeting to convince the other to say yes.

"Anyway... What about Isaac and Lusen?" His Royal Highness, who breathed a sigh of relief, finally had the heart to care about other things, and looked around, "Why didn't you see them, haven't you come out yet?"

"It's already out, and it's coming out before us. ”

Loren said lazily, "Isaac has found a flaw in the path of the trial and successfully completed the trial... Now it is said that he is being treated by dragons along with Lusten. ”

"So Lusen and Isaac are together, and you and Ain are together... Interesting. ”

Squinting his eyes, Brandon, who thought of something, showed a somewhat complicated expression on his face, and said to himself, "I see, so it is." ”

Looking thoughtful, but not like His Royal Highness the Prince, who was about to open his mouth to explain, the black-haired wizard was very wise not to ask.

"What are you going to do next?" Loren deliberately changed the subject

"Enzo's attitude towards us is not bad, at least there is no deep hostility and confrontational thoughts, and it should not be difficult to convince him to make some attitude and support. ”

"Then when this meeting is over, it's time for you to become your Prince of East Sachland—what are you going to do with the disobedient nobles in your realm and go on a killing spree?"

As soon as he finished speaking, he saw the corners of Brandon's eyes twitch.

"Hmm... It's possible. ”

"Possibly?"

"Yes... It's just possible. Frowning, Brandon looked at the snow flying outside the cave, his expression a little distracted, "My thoughts are still the same as before, but... There are a few changes. ”

His expression remained unchanged, and Loren raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"If I want to be the real Prince of East Sakland, it's impossible not to kill people, otherwise I'll just be puppets with titles, and they deserve to die too... But if too many people are killed, the consequences can be equally severe. ”

With his back to the black-haired wizard, His Royal Highness's voice was unexpectedly very steady.

"The most direct is that it will weaken the war potential of the empire - the more stubborn the nobles, the more they prove that their strength and roots are deep enough, and if they are killed, there will be a third fewer people in East Sacland who can fight. ”

"Even if I can immediately arrange for the Eboden nobles, mercenaries and wealthy merchants who follow me to occupy their territory, these people will not be able to provide much military and financial resources in a short period of time, which will greatly weaken me and the power of the Empire. ”

"That's what I intended. With a nonchalant look, Brandon added, "Murder must still be killed, but not like a thug - the guilty must be judged, the most heinous must be punished, and those who can cooperate must be co-opted." ”

"As for the deserters who turned into bandits... The commanders at the middle level cannot be retained, they must be replaced, but the officers and soldiers at the bottom can be reinforced, tortured or whipped, and they must be turned into obedient soldiers again. ”

"Hit a batch like this, pull a batch, kill a batch... You can control the gap in... Well, one-fifth to one-tenth of it, enough space to be vacated to house those refugees. ”

"Basically, I think about it for the time being, and the rest depends on the actual situation. ”

Scratching his head and laughing embarrassedly, Brandon looked at Loren with some embarrassment, "My Wizard Advisor, may I ask if there is anything else I can add... Uh, what's that look on your face?"

The black-haired wizard was dumbfounded.

This, this guy in front of him, is it really Brandon?

That Brandon, who knew that there would be no good end, and deliberately couldn't get along with his brother at the Broken Mountain Fortress?!

The Brandon who took matters into his own hands at Ebolden and became one of the triggers of the Ebolden Rebellion?!

That Brandon who doesn't care as long as he's happy and pokes out the sky?!

He can't be pretending to be Conod, right?!

"Uh... No, nothing!"

Looking at Brandon's increasingly unhappy expression, Loren smiled reluctantly, "I'm just a little curious, how are you... How did you come up with this?"

"I mean, um... Meaning, that is... Hmmm......"

After pondering for a long time, the black-haired wizard never thought of any more euphemistic words to describe it.

"It means that Brandon in the past was absolutely happy and how to come, and it was impossible to think of this... Right?"

Pulling the corners of his mouth, Loren smiled awkwardly.

"I didn't say that. ”

"That's what you mean!" snorted angrily, and a meaningful expression appeared on His Royal Highness's face

"Just like water flows, people will change, and no matter how much a bear child likes to mess around, there will be a day when he grows up. ”

"Especially... It's when he understands what he wants – he starts to understand things, knows how to weigh the pros and cons, and chooses to do things more sensibly than as he wants. ”

In the crimson eyes, another stubborn figure was reflected.

A figure who used to be timid and cared about the eyes of others, but finally mustered up the courage.

Loren was stunned.

What spurred him on?

Brandon shrugged, "Forget it, don't talk about this... Let's think about how we can continue to negotiate with Enzo and the other dragons, that's what we're here for, and ......"

Before he could finish speaking, a howling wind suddenly rose from outside the cave, and the three people standing at the entrance of the cave looked up in unison.

"Boom ——!"

With a loud bang and a shaking of the ground beneath their feet, the dragon Milassis landed steadily in front of them, bowing its head, and his curious eyes kept looking at the black-haired wizard.

"Oh, my dear Queen Mirasis, you remember me at last......!

"Poof!"

Without waiting for Brandon, who was surprised, to pounce on him and hug him, Miracis flicked his wings very casually, knocking the poor prince directly aside.

Face to the ground first... Again.

[Who would come to you? 】

Without looking back, the dragon let out a lazy moan, staring at the black-haired wizard.

[By order of Enzo, Jufeng Mountain welcomes the visit of His Excellency the Venerable Duke of Byrne, and we have prepared a resting place and food for you and your companions. 】

[For friends who are about to fight side by side, Jufeng Mountain has no objections!]

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