The cold winter wind poured into the nostrils, instantly awakening the brain that didn't know how long it had been in the dungeon, and the countless times that could only glimpse a little bit of daylight when the old jailer delivered food was now piercing his silver-gray pupils like a sharp sword.

The illegitimate son of the Wirtz family, Duke of the Duchy of Ellemont, the youngest flag commander of all the legions of the Empire, plus the famous "deserter" Lusen, who caused the total destruction of the search party and the front outpost......

From the dungeon of the Broken Mountain Fortress that was dark, he came out alive.

Standing outside the door of the dungeon, looking at everything in the line of sight around him, his slightly immature cheeks were still a little sluggish, and Lusen, who still couldn't believe it, still felt like he was in a dream.

But the sword-like wind, and the slight stiffness of his body, told him that it was all true—the entire search party heading north, except for the Church knights who had been wiped out in the watchtower, and the hundreds of Legion Rangers who had been hanged as deserters on their return......

I was the only one who survived!

The ice-covered fortress of Broken Mountain was still the same as ever, and there were constantly patrolling legionnaires, cavalry, fanatics of the Holy Cross, priests, knights, and busy legions passing in front of Lusen, and although they were all expressionless, Lusan could still see a trace of disdain in those indifferent eyes.

Deserter... Is it?

The corners of Lu Sien's mouth hooked up a self-deprecating wry smile, when he saw his comrades who came back with him one after another being hanged, he had already been prepared for this, and even lost his fighting spirit, ready to meet the coming fate.

He joined the Legion at the age of eleven, came to the Broken Mountain Fortress at the age of twelve, became a personal soldier of His Royal Highness Conod in the same year, was attacked alone at the age of thirteen, defeated the fleeing ice werewolf and became a sergeant of the first class, became the squadron leader of the second regiment at the age of fourteen, and became the commander of the flag regiment in the same year......

Honor, Halo, Respect, Future...... Everything that once existed disappeared in the moment he was imprisoned in the dungeon, and even the people who knew him now looked at him with only a little pity in his eyes.

Deserters are such lowly and humble scum.

Again he couldn't help but laugh at himself, the gray-eyed boy who clenched his fists knew very well that he could no longer have any way out in the Broken Boundary Mountain and even in the entire empire's legions, and in this kind of place where honor and military regulations were above all else, a desertion was a stain that could never be erased.

Even if he can get up again with his ability, his future with the name of "deserter" has been completely sealed, not to mention becoming the commander of the regiment one day, it is difficult to say whether he can become the commander of the flag again before the age of thirty.

If he was a real nobleman, he might still have a chance, but he was just an illegitimate child who had run away from home, not to mention that the Wirtz family had not given himself a proper name until now, and an unrecognized bastard child was slightly better than an ordinary legionnaire.

"How do you feel about being free?"

A strange and familiar voice came from behind him, and Ruson turned around, and the black-haired wizard stood on the other side of the dungeon door with his shoulders crossed, a smile on his lips, as if nothing had happened.

Unbelievable... Lusin couldn't imagine that just last night, this guy named Loren Turin was still in a-for-tat confrontation with His Royal Highness Crown Prince Connaught, and even almost killed several times.

"I don't know... It's really not clear. Lu Sien's expression was complicated, and he bit his lower lip stubbornly:

"I don't understand why I'm still standing here, still alive. ”

"This is understandable...... Loren nodded slightly, when he woke up after being unconscious in the Ancient Wood Forest, his state was not much stronger than that of Lusen in front of him, and even worse because of excessive consumption and opening the valve for a long time.

Sensing the hint of loss in Lusen's eyes, the black-haired wizard could only shrug his shoulders, he had never known how to comfort people, and casually pointed to the table beside him:

"Your belongings are all there, His Highness Connad specially sent someone to retrieve them, and he said that if you want, you can return to your flag regiment at any time, the position of the second flag commander of the Fourth Legion is still yours, and no one will ...... it."

"I'm not going back. ”

The cold-faced Lusen interrupted Loren's words, and the silver-gray eyes under the dark blue hair flashed with stubbornness, and he ...... The last shred of dignity:

"I know that I didn't come out alive because His Highness Connad believed me, not because of the prestige of the Wirtz family, and not because he 'cherished' the robe and his subordinates. ”

"I don't want his charity!"

When he said the last sentence, Lusen almost roared, his eyes widened to meet the black-haired wizard's gaze, his clenched fists had burst into green tendons, and he gritted his teeth like a fierce beast that chose to devour people.

Loren lowered his gaze slightly, and did not mean to interfere with the other party, but just habitually asked: "Then where are you going to leave the Broken Mountain Fortress?"

"I should be, there is no room for me here. Obviously he was only a fourteen-year-old boy, but Lusen's expression was as mature as that of a twenty-year-old, and his eyes did not leave the black-haired wizard's body for a moment:

"But... The two of us have made a pact that I'll take you to Niederhogg - I'm an Elemman, and an Elemish does what he says!"

"Are you sure?"

Loren tugged at the corners of his mouth playfully: "You should have heard all the conversations between me and His Highness Conrad that should be said and not." ”

"That's right. Lusen blew the ends of his forehead: "You are going to conspire to kill His Highness Brandon on the way to Nidhogg, in exchange for Conod's safety and future, plus a large sum of money, to make you his right-hand man." ”

"But I think you might really be just lying, and you don't intend to betray His Highness Brandon at all, or maybe you're a double-headed spy, and you're loyal to whoever you pay if the price is high!"

“...... You can understand it this way. ”

The black-haired wizard's smile stiffened a little, "Since you know it's dangerous to be with me, are you still willing?"

A smile appeared on the gray-eyed boy's pale face.

That's right, it's not Conod's pity, nor the family's protection, but the black-haired wizard named Loren Turin in front of him, who saved his life from Connad's hands by gambling with his life.

Even if he was ready to die.

Lusen knew very well that he didn't save himself out of good intentions, but had his own purpose, but so what, what could the other party ask for if he could give so much for the person he had just met?

He could gamble his life for himself, and that would be enough—even if he died at his hands, it would only give him that life back.

What's more, he is still a Turin......

"Your Excellency Loren Turin, can you lend me your dagger?"

Loren raised his eyebrows, the change in the other party's expression made him a little curious, and he casually pulled out the "bright silver" on his waist and handed it to Lu Sien's hand.

"Nice weapon. Looking at the bright silver in his hand, Lu Sien's eyes lit up: "The texture on it still has a feel, it can't be wrong...... It must have been mixed with Mithril!"

In the next second, the gray-eyed boy clenched the blade without hesitation, and the sharp "bright silver" immediately cut the palm of his right hand, and the bright red blood dripped down the blade and fell on the pure white snow.

The surprised Loren's eyes immediately widened, and Lusen in front of him knelt directly on one knee, grabbed the blade with his blood-stained right hand, and handed the "Bright Silver" to the black-haired wizard, as if there was some kind of power in his gray pupils:

"I, Lusen, bastard son of the Wirtz family of Ellemont, pledge allegiance to Loren Turin from this day!"

Facing those burning eyes, Loren hesitated for a moment, he really didn't expect this to be the result.

But... There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with that.

The next moment, the black-haired wizard clenched the blood-stained "Bright Silver" tightly.

"I'm just an illegitimate child, but I also have the blood of the Wirtz family, and 'swearing by blood' is the creed of the Wirtz family!"

Lusen, who was only as tall as Loren's chin, raised his head and looked at the black-haired wizard seriously:

"I said I owed you my life, and I did what I said!"