Darkwood is really hard to ignite, but once lit, it's almost impossible to extinguish it.

Because they are the best wood in the world - for Manifest Destiny warriors. This is the wood that contains the power of Honkai, and to ordinary people, they are deadly.

But they can burn after all.

As they burned and released their own light and heat, the whole room warmed up by the bonfire.

Outside the room, the blizzard was still raging, but the fire in the room had already been lit. The fire was quiet and then, with the occasional "crackling" popping sound.

The fire burned so quietly, Xiuya sat quietly by the fire and baked his hands by the fire, his body, only wrapped in a thin carpet, dark behind him, standing meekly with his head down. Occasionally flick your tail.

"Otto, don't you make a fire?" Xiu looked at Otto, who was still sitting on the bed.

"Of course—" Otto shuddered, and jumped off at once—but fumbled around in bed again and pulled out a water bladder before he came over. Leaning around the fire, "I'm almost freezing to death, what the hell is this weather!" ”

"Don't complain, I went out for a spin, and the snow hit me right on my head!" Xiu smiled, "By the way, what are you doing?" ”

"Polar spirits from the Northland of the Principality of Moscow, from the town of Bro! Mercenary's favorite! "Otto pulls out the cork of the water bladder with great difficulty with his warm hands" It is said that one bite can make the thinnest person hot enough to bathe in snow! ”

A rich aroma of wine spreads out, and spirits from the polar regions bloom their own fire in this cold. The colder the weather, the wilder they are!

Xiu frowned.

He actually hated alcohol, because he had the impression that his father was always drunk and never sober for a day. Every time I saw him, I was red and drunk unconscious. There was no need to get any closer, the pungent smell of wine alone was enough to smoke him dizzy.

Even if it's hard to be sober...

Xiu shook his head, not wanting to think about it anymore.

Since he was a child, the smell of sour wine has smeared his cold memories with a taste of decadence.

"Why did you bring the horse in?" Otto looked at the dark and puzzled.

"It's snowing so hard outside, and the stables are windy, how can you put it outside." Xiu touched his dark face, "Anyway, it's very obedient and won't disturb us." ”

"Horses shouldn't be afraid of snow... By the way, it didn't grow either. "Otto seemed to be a little warmer and a little more relaxed.

He brought the water bladder to his nose and sniffed deeply.

He was choking and coughing. In fact, he didn't need to put it to his nose, the smell of wine was already almost permeating the entire room.

Otto carefully poured a little into his mouth, and his whole face turned red!

He held his mouth desperately, his breathing became rapid for a moment, and he tilted his head back and opened his mouth wide, gulping for air.

When he had not recovered much, he swallowed the little wine in his mouth.

"Heh————" he gasped heavily, "this smells...", he still didn't seem to be relieved, but he didn't care so much about his blanket now, "Only the wildest mercenaries can handle it!" But... He'll be the favorite of all mercenaries! ”

"Drink less. It's not a good thing. Xiu said lightly.

"Won't you drink some?" Otto was a little surprised: "This is used for heating in the winter!" One bite can make you feel hot! ”

"I don't like to drink... No, I hate alcohol. Xiu said.

"Is it..."Otto's expression was a little gloomy, "I don't like it, so forget it." ”

The two of them just sat by the campfire, sitting quietly. None of them spoke.

The flames bloomed from the torches of the dark wood, but the flames were as strong as if they were spewing out of the dark wood. Just four or five arm-thick pieces of wood, the flames were as strong as burning hay.

But it was really too cold, and such a strong flame was not enough to warm the whole room.

"You don't need to train tomorrow, you won't go out, will you?"

"Nope. But the dark fodder and our breakfast still have to be solved, and we still have to go out. Xiu said, "You can't go hungry for a day, can you?" ”

Otto suddenly stopped talking. He uncharacteristically just sat quietly and waited for a moment to reconcile before speaking.

"And what about tonight?"

Xiu didn't understand.

"It's not a fireplace, and a campfire can't warm up the room. We can't sleep on the ground by the fire. ”

"yes, what should I do?" Xiu thought for a moment, "That's it, Otto. I'll sleep with you. ”

"You? A smell of horses, don't stain my bed. Forget it, I'd better sleep on the floor..."

"Then let's do it, you sleep in bed, and I'll sleep by the fire." Xiu smiled, "In this way, we won't be cold." ”

Otto subconsciously wanted to agree, but looking at Xiu's smile, he couldn't say anything when the words came to his lips.

"So what's the difference between me and my brothers. Forget it, let's be together. Otto agreed, seemingly impatiently.

Xiu still just smiled quietly.

The two of them carefully moved the campfire to Otto's bedside, wrapped in their own blankets, and fell asleep back to back on the hard bed that was slowly becoming warmer.

Stand there quietly by the campfire, bow your head and let the bonfire warm your body.

The two boys lay on their own faces, one looking at the wall and the other at the campfire.

"Xiu, we've always been friends, haven't we?" Otto spoke suddenly.

"Of course." Xiu replied in the affirmative. "Why do you suddenly ask that?"

"My things were seen by my father. After he used it, he affirmed my invention. Otto said, "The letter I just received today." He promised me a better lab, lab equipment, more money, and my personal assistant. I... There's no way I can say no to these. ”

Xiu didn't speak. After a long while, he said, "When are you leaving?" ”

"Tomorrow. The convoy arranged by my father was already stationed in the city. He asked me to go tomorrow. ”

"That's right." Xiu responded calmly.

"I didn't expect him to accept me so easily, I thought I was going to do something... I didn't expect him to agree so simply and directly... He gave me so much just to see the effects of the experiment... I suddenly felt as if I had only known him today, I suddenly felt as if I had never known him, and I felt like I might never have known him. Otto's voice trembled a little, "I... I'm afraid of him. ”

"I thought he was the same as the other old stubborns, but... He accepted me... I should have been happy, and I should have been, but I was scared... It's weird, isn't it? It's weird, I thought I was going to have to work on it for a while, maybe I underestimated the action of the bullet, but my father just accepted me and made me think..."

"The anger and humiliation I had before didn't seem to be worth mentioning at all, and I didn't even need revenge, and he accepted me as easily as he denied me... I—" he clasped his arms tightly "I'm really scared, I'm really scared of him. ”

"Then don't go, haven't you made achievements here?" Xiu said.

"But there was everything I needed! Know that if there were those things, I could have done them a month earlier! But... But—" He trembled and was afraid.

"But you've already made up your mind, haven't you?" Xiu turned around and looked at Otto's back, "Don't be afraid if you have a decision." In the beginning, I'm sure you would have been a little scared when you came to this training camp, right? That's what I am anyway. For me, the camp was full of unknowns at first, so I was a little scared. You're from Apocalis, I'm from Kaslana, and we don't know anything about it. But when I arrived, I found that it wasn't as bad as I thought. My sister once said to me that everything will be fine, and I believe that so are you. ”

Otto stopped trembling.

He also turned around and rolled around like a bug, looking into Xiu's eyes. Those purple, clear and pure eyes.

"Xiu, we'll always be friends, right?"

"Yes, we will always be friends."

"Friends don't abandon each other, do they?"

"Yes. As long as you don't make an unforgivable mistake, your friend won't leave your friend. ”

Otto smiled.

"I've heard the guards of the clan say that when they go out on a mission camping, they sleep with their brothers and friends. You know, I was very envious at the time. Because they all have friends. And me? Otto laughed to himself.

And I was alone in the castle, in the courtyard, lonely to death. But no one paid any attention to me. He thought it in his heart, but didn't say it.

"I'd love to try it out, to try it out and sleep with my friends. But I've never had any friends, and today... Today—" his voice became choppy.

He covered his head with a blanket.

He never spoke again, just lay quietly.

"Otto, are you crying?" Xiu asked.

"Nope." Otto's voice came muffled.

Xiu just smiled faintly.

If it were the usual Otto, this sentence would have made him jump.

"Actually, why shouldn't I? You're my first friend, and I've always been alone until then. ”

I've heard everything you said, and I'm dying of envy when I hear it. But... What can I do, I can only envy, listen, and then hold the quilt at night, that's all.

Xiu wrapped himself in a blanket and curled up together.

Xiu was completely able to understand him. After all... I really resemble him.

Similar terrible. But... He began to be a little grateful to the prince who had driven Otto away. If it weren't for him, I probably wouldn't have this friend.

They were all wounded little beasts, just licking their wounds together.

As the night got deeper and deeper, the room was completely silent.

Outside the door, the blizzard was still raging, and the iron blades were still colliding and making a cacophony noise, but it was quiet in this small room.

Only the occasional crackling sound of burning dark wood was emanating.

"Xiu..."

"Huh?"

"Tomorrow, don't bring my breakfast."

"Hmm."

The two were again speechless.

Xiu took a deep breath.

"Otto, do you still have wine?"

Otto was stunned for a moment. He smiled softly.

"Take it." He stuffed the sac into Xiu's arms.

Xiu sat up, his silver-white hair falling down his cheeks, and Otto couldn't see his expression.

Xiu leaned against the edge of the bed, opened the plug, looked up, and sighed deeply.

He poured the polar liquor straight into his mouth like water.

But when the crisp liquor entered his mouth, the rush of wine rushed into his nostrils in an instant, and he was not prepared for the sake of drinking before he had ever drunk it.

"Poof!" He spewed out at once, and the wine spilled on the campfire, bringing up a boiling mist of fire!

"Ahem, ahem, ahem," his little face flushed, and his throat ached as if it was burning.

"Don't drink anymore—" Otto sat up to retrieve the sac, but Xiu slapped his hand away and took a large gulp. His face was flushed and purple, and his body was trembling, but he swallowed the wine.

"Hah————" he bared his teeth and exhaled long, as if trying to spew out all the aggressive wine.

He was dressed in rough clothes and looked at Otto's stunned face.

"Hahahahaha........ha