After Loren finished writing the testimony in his hand, he handed it to the dean to read again, and after confirming that it was correct, he asked him to sign it himself.

"Very well, Your Excellency, is there anything else you would like to say?" the black-haired wizard who raised his head put away his testimony and said with a blank face:

"Maybe that's your last word. ”

The dean's face was not a little depressed, his expression was still resolute and a little excited, and he sat in the chair and stared at him for a long time: "Your Excellency Loren Turin, can I call you that?"

"Feel free to do so. For this elderly alchemist, Loren still retains some respect.

"I didn't expect it to be like this at first, but then I saw that it was sluggish. The dean's eyes were a little dark: "Your Highness Brandon, are you finally ready to try to challenge his brother?"

"I can't tell you because I don't know. The black-haired wizard was very vigilant: "But the evidence of your crime is overwhelming, and it is not because of who took refuge in whom!"

"You don't need to be so excited, there have been many brothers in the history of the De Salion family, this will not be the first time and will not be the last, as virtuous as His Majesty Brandon I of the sixth generation, it is inevitable that he will kill his younger brother and his sons in the end, after all, there can be no two chairs of the Supreme Emperor!"

"I don't mean to disrespect you, but ......" Loren tugged at the corners of his mouth, "You don't want to persuade me to 'abandon darkness and turn to light' and serve His Highness Conod?"

Looking at his slightly sarcastic eyes, the dean smiled and shook his head for the first time: "Don't be joking anymore, I'm a native of Saklan, and I know the weight of loyalty best - since you have chosen to serve His Highness Brandon, it is impossible for you to join His Highness Conrad again." ”

"But even so, I have a few words I want to tell you. ”

"Speak. Loren sat back down.

"We owe allegiance to the two princes, but we are also loyal to the same De Salion, the Sakran Empire that has stood for thirteen generations, and this is the most important thing - no matter which Highness becomes the future Supreme Emperor, this empire must stand and stand forever!"

“...... What exactly are you trying to say?"

"I would like to ask you to distinguish between the orders of His Highness Brandon, which are rational and calm, and which are the result of impulsiveness and which are purely aimed at dealing with his own brother. The dean stared at him: "Especially now that the empire is facing an invasion, even more so. ”

"Lord Loren Turin, I am convinced that you can find the holes in your account books in less than a night, and even sneak into the warehouse to find evidence without even noticing, but with this power you should take a long-term view rather than brandishing your wand and sword just for someone. ”

The dean's eyes were burning, and his expression was sincere, without the slightest sign of lies and temptations, exactly like an elder teaching his juniors, and the other party's tone also reminded Loren of Dean Peter, who was at Wimpal Academy.

It was also an old man who could endure humiliation and bear the burden for the sake of his academy and apprentices.

With a slight bow, Loren, who got up, walked towards the door with a solemn expression.

"Your Excellency Loren Turin!"

The dean's voice stopped the black-haired wizard once again, staring at his back as if he had made up his mind.

"I didn't want to say this just now, but considering your last name... Maybe it's better to give you a heads-up. The dean's voice was heavy: "It is indeed a great honor to serve the royal family of de Salion, especially since this honor often carries more opportunities. ”

"But remember, this path is also very dangerous - you will never be rewarded for your loyal service to them, for they are de Salion, the masters of the Empire, and all this is a matter of course in their eyes!"

"Remember what happened to your ancestor, the 'Black Duke' Roland Turin, sometimes... Loyalty and piety don't pay you back – so don't forget to think of yourself at any time, or you'll regret it sooner or later!"

The other party's words were completely contradictory to the front, but they were also sincere, so that Loren couldn't help but look back: "Thank you, I will definitely remember it." ”

He said this sentence with the same sincerity, and seeing Loren's solemn gaze, the dean also showed a very calm expression, bowed his head slightly, and waited for his next fate.

And Loren kept repeating the name mentioned by the other party in his heart.

Roland Turin... The famous "Black Duke" a hundred years ago, the ruler of the Duchy of Byrne, and the last ruler - since him, the House of Turin and the entire Duchy of Byrne have been in shambles.

But if the rumors are true, this "black duke" was still alive at the peak of the Duchy of Byrne, and even influenced the pattern of the eastern and southern parts of the empire for a time.

For this almost legendary "ancestor", Loren is really getting more and more curious.

......................................................

After doing all this, Loren immediately left the interrogation room and went to the church. This time, the priest outside the door did not stop him again, although his attitude was still bad, but he only dared to sneer behind his back.

The uncaring black-haired wizard didn't bother at all, and walked straight into Brandon's room, placing the testimony of the head of the Crucible Academy in front of him, and then crossed his shoulders and waited for the response from His Royal Highness.

"Do you trust him?" Brandon asked Loren with a casual look.

"I don't think it has anything to do with believing or not believing, it's that he doesn't have to lie anymore. The black-haired wizard shrugged his shoulders: "Besides, the evidence we found is basically overloaded, and the alchemists of several academies have also provided corroboration, and the Holy Cross Church has indeed been monitoring this place all along." ”

"Besides, isn't this the best ending we can get now?"

Tilting his head, Brandon, who had a hesitant expression, finally nodded in agreement.

Indeed, according to the Dean's confession, he took almost all the blame on himself, so as not to annoy the church, to avoid a confrontation with his beloved royal brother, and to erase Connod's loyal lackeys in Crucible.

Even if he really doesn't want to admit it, Brandon can't help but accept the reality - now he doesn't even have the ability to stand in front of Conod and go against his capital.

After all, the other party is the crown prince, Prince Sackland, who is still the commander of the Broken Mountain Fortress, with the command of two elite legions, and the power is monstrous, while he Brandon is just a prince.

And His Majesty Eckhart II didn't like him very much as a "disgraced son" - even if he did catch evidence of Connad's corruption, it would only be a "very headache" for His Royal Highness, and it would not be enough to break him.

As Loren said, it was the best they could get in the Crucible. The enemy is outnumbered, and if you want to defeat Conod, you must take it one step at a time.

It's going to be a long battle and you'll have to be patient.

"When are we leaving?" asked Loren tentatively.

"Tomorrow, the sooner the better—since Brother Conrad didn't lie, any further delay would only delay him, and perhaps give him more excuses to lock me up. ”

With a headache like a crooked head, the red-haired and red-eyed young man stared at the confession in his hand and sighed, his delicate face revealing a grinning expression, and his bright red pupils flickered more and more elusively:

"Do you know what the difference is between me and my beloved Brother Connad?"

"I'm sorry. Loren frowned: "Are you going to ask me, or are you going to tell me directly?"

"It's very simple, he can get everything he wants from the moment he is born, and he does show that he can make the people around him can't wait to give him everything he has, even if he has to carry the black pot without complaint. Brandon shook the testimony in his hand.

"And I, Brandon de Salion, I have nothing to give me, not even my dragon, dear Mirasis who almost ate me in the first place, so unlike him, I know the rules of the world, and if you want to get something, you have to exchange it for another. ”

"So, dear wizard advisor Loren Turin, you never have to worry about falling into the fate of this dean - I will give you my own before I can gain your loyalty!"