The Gemenan River is one of the few rivers in the Empire that does not dry up all year round, and it is also the longest river that crosses the empire's territory, and the river with the Andacel Mountains as its source does not converge to the east like other water sources, but follows the ravine-strewn Empire wilderness all the way south, and finally flows into the Endless Sea, the southernmost point of the Free Continent. Although it passes through the vast Gobi Desert, which is almost barren, the river still nourishes many imperial provinces and territories, including the imperial capital Redkar, and the name "Gemenan" is also named because it nourishes the Gemenan Forest in the province of Santlius.

The river that appeared in front of Duan Qing and the others now was exactly like this, because looking downstream along the bank of this river, what could be seen was the countless verdant green colors that were different from the wilderness Gobi, as well as a few people that the team had not seen for a long time.

"The convoy stopped?"

"I think I'm going to take a break here......

"It's okay, since they're not in a hurry, let's take a good rest."

"Ah, I'm tired, I'm tired, don't look at it, it's only been half a day, but we have also experienced a huge test."

Replenishing water and cleaning wounds - the team known as the Imperial Royal Investigation Team then stopped at the bridge leading to the other side of the river, and kept busy under the command of many Imperial nobles. The figure belonging to Duan Qing's team then chose a position far away from the bridge and sat down, constantly transporting supplies of clear water back and forth between the river and the resting place, while discussing with each other in a low voice: "But the people of the empire actually don't believe our words...... They even look down on our strength. ”

"Compared to the Ivoster who hasn't used his true skills, our strength is indeed a little worse, but the Imperials certainly don't know that Ivoster is here, and they don't know that his target is us—me, to be precise."

"By the way, when did you provoke such a powerful enemy?"

"How do I know, it's probably because the previous night of mutation was too good, so it was targeted by the restorationists, although now we can't be sure whether this Ivorst can be regarded as a restorationist......

Casually talking about these dispensable words, Duan Qing, who was accompanied by Gedemayne, then fought two back and forth between the station and the Gemenan River, and the gray-robed figure who struggled to carry a bucket of water finally stopped out of breath next to Xue Lingphantom Ice who was lying on the side of the carriage, and then wiped the sweat on his face: "Whew, I'm tired...... Can you really bear to watch me, a weak magician, do this kind of physical work back and forth? ”

"Whoever makes you a good person now." A smile curled up at the corner of his mouth, and the cold and hot Xue Ling's phantom ice voice on his head replied weakly: "That Gedmayne is just giving you a strong façade, and his current injury is not suitable for coolies." ”

"Devils, all devils." So Duan Qing gasped heavily and shouted, "Don't we still have a complete living person? Why hasn't he come back yet? ”

"You're talking about the rising sun? He has indeed been gone for a long time. The gulping of water then showed a critical expression: "We want to condemn his wayward behavior of leaving the team alone!" But...... If you go to him now, I'm afraid you won't be able to find him. ”

Looking at the large number of convoys that were also resting not far away, Duan Qing covered his forehead helplessly, and then temporarily threw the bucket in his hand on the ground in the bow of Xue Ling's phantom ice and snickering: "Forget it, since you have to make me, Liao Hua, a pioneer, then I have nothing to say......

"It's almost noon, but this break shouldn't last long." Also putting away his smile, Xue Lingphantom Ice replied in a deep voice: "The road ahead is still far away, and they don't have much room for delay. ”

"Unless they don't plan to settle Prince Chris's affairs at all." Speaking of this, two gleams flashed in her weak eyes: "This time the envoy is just going out for a walk." ”

"Even if Drenier is too tough, it is not a wise choice to deliberately provoke a war when he has just experienced such a catastrophe, right?" Duan Qing shook his head and replied, "And there are also the Restoration, the Wings of Liberty and others eyeing each other—"

"If the attack just now can give Her Highness Rena a wake-up call, it can be regarded as a crooked blow."

Looking at the rose-colored carriage in the center of the convoy that was also resting and the countless figures of the Imperial guards circling around it, Xue Ling's voice regained its previous tiredness: "At least I can let those nobles and imperial soldiers do a little more to make us a little safer." ”

"They don't have too many enemies right now." Gedmayne, who was on the side, commented loudly: "When they reach the border area, they will probably have to face more potential enemies than the Restorationists." ”

"Do you mean the principality? Not...... Even if His Royal Highness the prince really had something to do with them, they shouldn't be reckless. Slightly relieved, Duan Qing then looked at the other side of the bridge in front of the road with a wry smile: "I heard that the principality has also agreed to this negotiation and is waiting for our arrival in the Fars Fortress, although ...... Scold. ”

"It may be a bit inappropriate to say, but if we leave on our own now, the team will probably face fewer difficulties."

After another period of scrambling to take care of the squad, Duan Qing, who was responsible for the rest and recuperation of the team, finally found a little leisure time, and then sighed for a long time, and then sat on the edge of another door at the back of the carriage in the scene around the station from time to time in a large number of soldiers: "The janitor who is responsible for taking care of the living...... You've hired me for this job, and you're making a lot of money. ”

“……”

"You don't seem to be in a good mood."

Looking at Violet, who was also sitting here, she remained silent, and Duan Qing, who wiped her sweaty head, then stretched her waist vigorously: "Is it because you are about to pass through the province of Santerus?" ”

“…… You can guess it. ”

Finally made her voice again, but the purple-haired woman lowered her head and lowered her gaze without the slightest change: "Although it hasn't been a long time, I always have a long sense of lag, like——"

"It's like the time I spent in Tanzania."

The tips of the purple hair fluttered in the air for a while, Violet, who no longer maintained a sluggish image, slowly raised her head, and the eyes that were originally hidden with purple divine light were then withdrawn from Duan Qing's body and landed at the end of the sky where the river leads: "Looking back now, I have probably been in that city for thirty years, and the Violet Tower has also been established by me during this long time, and the existence of the Violet Lord has finally been recognized by the Mage Council......"

"I've been immersed in the study of magic for the past thirty years." At this point, she let out a slow sigh: "Time always passes faster in such a situation, that my last impression of leaving the red city is as if it had just happened yesterday......"

"Your alchemy achievements were also discovered during this time." Duan Qing on the side comforted in a low voice: "It's just that in the end, you were used by your apprentice, and even harmed yourself, and those achievements will not disappear out of thin air." ”

"There is a famous saying among alchemists that the results of one's own brewing can only be borne by oneself." Violet shook her hair and chuckled twice: "I don't have much regret about my fate...... Not. ”

"It's not so much regret as the word 'wonderful'." She looked back at Duan Qing's face, and at the same time gestured to the lush green at the end of the river: "The city that I have sheltered for thirty years is finally clamoring to kill me, and the people who once overthrew me and almost killed me...... In the end, he became my savior. ”

The heat of the sun scorching the ground finally set off a refreshing wind on the river bank, blowing a little bit of Violet's purple hair under the hood, and Duan Qing, who was looking at this smile, also lost his mind for a moment, and then hurriedly turned his gaze away: "Ahem, that and that...... There's no way around it, because we've made some of the same mistakes and we're always looking for opportunities to make up for it......"

"What you have done for me during this time has been beyond the imagination of ordinary people, and naturally you have done much more for me than the citizens of Tanzania." Violet shook her head again and interrupted Duan Qing's words: "Including the Maggie who was once blessed by me...... You're always going to unknowingly pay an unimaginable weight for us poor people. ”

"There's not that much weight, it's just that I've been acting according to my heart." Duan Qing pushed his hands uselessly: "As for Maggie...... She doesn't seem to have been communicating with us much during this time, and she seems to have been avoiding you, is it because she was 'taken care of' by you before? ”

"Maybe."

Tilting her head, Violet then turned her gaze to the depths of the convoy: "Even I don't know how to deal with someone who once almost sold herself, and as far as I know, the past of this Queen of the Night does not seem to be an easy one to describe......"

"Those stories that happened in Ferronshire?" Duan Qing, who was leaning on the side of the carriage, sighed deeply: "Speaking of which, she did mention it to me once, but unfortunately I am not the original me now, and those things may have disappeared from the memory of the past." ”

“…… But you will always have an inexplicable connection with these poor us. Violet replied with a chuckle, "Including me—I always felt that our spirits could easily be synchronized, but had there been any deeper communication between our souls?" ”

"Well...... Aha. Knowing that the other party was referring to the two experiences of possession, Duan Qing finally smiled dryly and perfunctory the topic: "Although it must be an illusion, this shows that there is a deep bond between us...... Ah, right. ”

"For the sake of our relationship, I have a question that I have always wanted to ask, and I don't know if I can open it." He put on a serious face and stared closely at Violet's face, who was slightly overwhelmed: "You-"

"How old are you?"

Boom.

A heavy tremor then resounded in the air behind the carriage, followed by a long silence that was difficult to describe in words, and the gray-robed figure belonging to Duan Qing staggered out of the corner of the carriage after a long time, accompanied by the tragic state that seemed to be baptized by huge energy: "Really, everyone knows things, what else is there to be ashamed of." ”

"I'll do what Norman didn't finish—I should have said that before, right?" The mature woman's voice, which only Duan Qing could hear, then sounded in his ears: "Be prepared, my training is very harsh. ”

“…… Alas. Duan Qing, who knocked his skull hard, and his face and body were covered with fine scars, then shook his head with a wry smile: "Can you wait a little longer, otherwise our team will really become a team full of wounded." ”

"Sir." The voice belonging to the secret whisper Ning Lan then appeared in his ears, accompanied by the blue and white maid who suddenly appeared beside him: "Ning Lan brought people back." ”

"Yo."

As the shadow Ning Lan's figure flickered, the burly body belonging to the Cangyun Barrier then covered the brilliance in front of Duan Qing, and the big man who looked fully armed then put down the heavy shield in his hand, and at the same time looked around the left and right of the carriage: "I heard that you suffered an attack with heavy casualties, but I didn't expect it to be true." ”

"There was such an attack, and you Lanshan didn't go out to behave?" Duan Qing, who lowered his arm, looked at each other with slanted eyes: "It's not in line with the character of you stupid and coarse men." ”

"Our style is not determined by our image, and you better remember that." Tapping Duan Qing's chest with his finger, the unkind Cangyun barrier then lowered his head and looked down at Duan Qing's face: "Okay, now...... What did your maid call me for, bastard? ”

"Can you change the name to something a little less harsh?" The eyelids and eyebrows were tangled together, and Duan Qing, who shook his hand, then took the lead and walked to the side: "By the way, let's change places...... Not. ”

He led the double-shield warrior to the side, and then walked to the distant riverbank under the escort of Ning Lan, who was still reluctant to give up: "It's right here." ”

"To be honest, we still have a lot of accounts to settle between us." Grinning a few times, Cangyun Barrier then raised his shield as if he had made a statement: "Although we have a cooperative relationship in the past, it is only temporary. ”

"For the time being, I hope our alliance remains."

Pointing to his chest, Duan Qing looked back at the half-face of the double-shield warrior looking down at him from behind the shield expressionlessly: "I know you often hear this sentence, but I still have to say it again." ”

"If you are willing to continue to stand with us, what do you need?"