The void faded like a tidal wave.

The night was like water, the windows were open, the curtains danced like ghosts, the candles went out at some point, and the moonlight poured into the house like silver.

"You believe her?" After a long silence, Sidney asked.

Brando was silent: "She's not lying. ”

But that's all, not telling a lie does not mean that you have good intentions, lying does not mean that you have sinister intentions, and there can be deadly traps hidden behind the truth.

Neither of them is a rookie, and they both understand this truth in their hearts.

"So, what are you going to do?"

"We're going to have to change our plans a little bit." Brando replied, "I'll call Charles and Mordfeth, and Miss Sidney will tell the ladies." ”

The statue of the Holy Maiden of the Lion Sanctuary has a jaw.

Outside the window, there is a huge shadow of the imperial capital.

However, it is not the soil of prosperity that breeds under the shadows, since the beginning of the civil war, the aura of prosperity has long faded from this thousand-year-old city, leaving only unspoken wounds.

The people who live here do not understand what the empire is fighting for, and most of them have not even heard the name Mardos, although there are missionaries who distribute leaflets in the streets every day, and who also attend forced worship services every week to preach the justice and so-called history of Her Majesty the Queen.

But that's too far away.

They don't understand why they are drawn into this maelstrom for an illusory goal, and the sages are wrong? How is that possible?

The pride of the Flame Queens is based on righteousness, how can they inherit the dark empire of the past?

What are the qualifications?

They don't understand why they should kill each other for this qiē.

It was an imperial civil war, with the blood of the Cruz at its disposal.

Every day someone dies, it's the wife's husband, the parents' children. The father of the child, the close friend of the other.

Many more disappeared on the battlefield and were not heard from.

Some of their relatives died at the hands of the lionmen of Jogandegang and Torquinine, but instead of giving them the corresponding glory, the queen called them traitors.

For this reason, many people secretly thanked the emperor's eldest son. And the Count of Eruin, whom they had never met, for they had avenged them.

Later, these people were pulled out by the witches and put on the gallows because they collaborated with the enemy and committed treason.

Life is getting harder.

Many people are nostalgic for the days when the capital of the empire was inexhaustible, and everyone lived well, proud to be an empire, and did not have to bear the pain of loss.

And now, the glory is gone. The supplies that are delivered to the imperial capital every day have to be given priority to the celebrations of His Majesty.

The circles of the aristocracy were still relishing the upcoming engagement ceremony of the countess, but at the bottom of the empire, the enthusiasm was fading day after day.

Until one day, all the voices were silent.

In the darkness only silent expressions remain.

Roads to the eye.

As soon as eight o'clock passed, all kinds of figures began to appear in the dark and deep streets.

They wore different colors, some were poor and some were tailors. Some were candle makers, tanners or butchers, and even low-level officials and soldiers.

But the only thing in common is. They were silent.

Like a group of ghosts.

The two city guard soldiers on duty watched this scene and shuddered as if they had seen the legendary ghost.

"There are more people today...... one of the soldiers whispered uneasily.

"What about the patrol cavalry, why doesn't anyone take care of ......?"

"Don't be kidding, do they dare to care, those soft-footed shrimp just dare to bully their own people."

"But. Captain ......"

"Shhhh

The soldier who opened his mouth felt a chill in his back and subconsciously stopped.

Of course he remembered the man, still a young man. Not very gregarious, the other party only dispersed the assembly of the men, and his body was found in the woods outside the city a week ago.

Because the murderer could not be traced, it was finally closed.

He had also heard that the number of missing guards had increased recently, and although the news had only circulated in private, the occasional revelation still disturbed the low-level soldiers of the city guards, such as him.

"Besides," said the captain again, in an indignant tone, "what good is it for us to manage so much?" My brother died in Anzeruta, what happened to him? I don't believe he would betray us, but now the damned palace manager wants to investigate me on this ground, don't I know that he just wants to arrange a place for his nephew? ”

He spat indignantly.

The soldier fell silent.

He wanted to refute, but he didn't know what to say, wasn't the captain right, what was happening right now was the truth.

He even thought that maybe it would be better to lose the job, the atmosphere in the city was getting weirder and weirder by the day, and maybe he would lose his head that day.

But if he loses this job, what should he do, life is getting harder day by day, people have begun to starve to death in the slums, if he has no job, what should he do to support his family?

It's like a dead knot that can't be untied, and it's suffocating.

Why is this so?

What happened to the empire?

"The Empire is sick...... a man in a robe, with his head and tail hidden, passed by the two of them, looked back at them, the snake-like pupils made them shudder, the other party seemed to be very satisfied with the resentment in the soldier's eyes, and after dropping such a sentence, he walked away.

"Maniac!" The captain scolded.

The soldier hurriedly grabbed him.

"You don't have to pull me, I won't be like this kind of person," the captain said indignantly, "Don't believe him, although these days are very fucked up now, but these guys who hide their heads and tails are even more untrustworthy." ”

The soldier silently looked in the direction the man had left.

Is the Empire really sick?

But if the empire was not sick, how could it become like this.

"Seti!"

The candle maker's daughter heard her name whispered in the crowd, and when she turned around, she saw Arce's figure, a handsome young man, the man she loved.

"Al!"

Only then did Seti come back to his senses from his own delusions. She wanted to ask Al if the empire was really sick, otherwise why her brother would die in the south.

Why should there be war?

But she understood that Al didn't like to discuss these things with him, and he actually hated those disciples, but he hated this qiē even more.

"The ceremony is about to begin." Al beckoned to her, "This way." ”

Seti nodded hurriedly. Squeezed through the crowd and followed.

……

"Today...... We're here...... ...... is coming to an end"

"This qiē ......"

The sound of shouting came intermittently.

The crowd gathered more and more, and some guys in black robes were giving impassioned speeches, and the commotion rippled along the crowd like ripples on the water.

Brando's group walked through the street, silently watching the qiē.

A group of five of them, Charles, Brando, Mordface and Andreg, followed by Faina, all with long cloaks and hoods drawn, looked like the people who were speaking.

In fact, they've been mistaken for those people many times along the way. It was an unexpected coincidence that the citizens around them were respectful to them.

"This is the capital of the Empire, it's great," Charles exclaimed, "and it's a good idea, those guys have a knack for stirring people, and they're about to catch up with my seductive magic." ”

"It wasn't like this before...... Faina didn't look good, although she was born in Mehotofen, she studied and grew up in this city. The proud city of the empire was now like this, and she felt uncomfortable.

"I'm afraid something is going to happen." Charles couldn't help but shake his head.

Brando also had a faint feeling in his heart. However, he was a little strange as to why the city guards and patrol cavalry were indifferent, could it be that the silver queen couldn't even control it under her nose?

Doesn't she have a witch to serve her?

"Kill him ......"

"This queen's lackey!"

A commotion came from the street corner ahead.

Brando and the others were slightly stunned, but found that the crowd in front of them had gathered together, and there seemed to be people around them, who were being punched and kicked by the people around them.

"Charles, separate them."

"Your Excellency. We don't need to make a fuss. ”

"They're in our way." Brando replied angrily.

Charles shrugged his shoulders and stretched out his five fingers to chant a spell, an invisible force spreading around his palm, causing the citizens to involuntarily separate from side to side.

Reveal the two people who are surrounded in the center, and look at their costumes. It should be patrol cavalry.

One of them was in fine condition, while the other was lying on the ground, dying.

The red-eyed citizens wanted to surround them again after being separated by Charles, but after spotting Brando's group, they involuntarily stopped.

"Then again, who chose this outfit," Charles couldn't help but admire, "It's really unexpectedly correct." ”

"Didn't you say that this robe doesn't look like a good person at first glance?"

"Ah," Charles said suddenly, "Lord Lord, this was your idea. ”

Brando didn't bother to pay attention to him, and when he came to the identity of the two, the wounded patrol knight struggled to his feet, and roared at them:

"You damned cultists, I don't need your mercy, you killed Charles, you have the ability to kill me!"

"Poof," Faina couldn't help but laugh out loud, though she had been in a hesitant mood.

"This unlucky guy has the same name as you." Brando also teased.

"Shut your crow's mouth—" Charles said angrily to the knight, feeling his face lost, "Your friend isn't dead. ”

"What did you say?"

"I said your friend still has a breath," Charles said angrily, "If you don't want him to die, take him and go to the doctor!" ”

The knight's face changed, and he didn't care about scolding Brando and the others, although he glanced at Charles with some doubts, he still chose to believe the other party's words, and quickly picked up his companion and limped away.

Brando looked at the backs of the two men, and then at the puzzled eyes around him, as well as at the faces of those who had been distorted by hatred, and couldn't help but shake his head.

Faina was right, the imperial capital was not meant to be like this, he had been here before, in another world.

At that time, it was a prosperous town, and although it was drunk and golden, it was not the lifeless appearance it is now.

What exactly brought about this qiē?

He was suddenly in a low mood.

"Charles, what do you think we're fighting for?"

"Naturally, it's for the sake of Eru." Charles replied as a matter of course, "Is there anything wrong with that?" ”

"The Silver Queen has her own philosophy," Brando replied, "and what she did wasn't necessarily wrong, but what?" ”

"It turns out that what she did was wrong," Charles replied, "Isn't the one in front of her the best proof of this?" ”

"But we fought for Eruin, and we brought war to Eruin," Brando asked, looking back at the first subordinate who had followed him, "We have never lost an arm or leg in a war, but someone has lost a qiē in the war, is it right for them to do a qiē?" ”

"Well...... this"

"That's a ridiculous question," Andreg interjected at such times, and she sneered at Brando with disdain, "Someone put a knife on your neck, and you still have time to discuss with him whether the war is right or wrong?" ”

"It's just a matter of life and death."

The war for resistance and survival is indeed just.

However, the fall of Eruin may be a historical inevitability, but he chose to do so at the cost of many people.

Is the qiē you did really tenable?

Brando's voice echoed in his heart over and over again.

"Brando," Faina said at this time, "there is the best answer to this question right now. ”

Brando looked at the eldest lady in bewilderment.

"If you look at these people, you can understand what you have done to the people who have benefited from it, and what has the queen done to them?" Fayna replied, "At a glance." ”

"My teacher once taught me that the progress of history and the progress of civilization is to pursue happiness."

"In order to protect such a qiē, people never hesitate to sacrifice."

Brando's heart suddenly dawned on him.

This may be the true meaning of Jin Yandao.

The original intention of the struggle is not to kill and hate, but to chase and protect something better.

Fir Collar, Tonigel, and Eruin-

Is he confident that he will make the country a better place?

Yes.

He had faith.

In that case, it's time to move forward.

At that moment, Brando's eyes suddenly appeared, and he suddenly saw the scene he had seen in Valhalla.

In the light, Martha put her hand on his shoulder, pointed to his forehead, and said to him:

"I will give thee wings of light, so that thou mayest be called king."

"Someday I will be glorified in you."

That's the glory --

He looked up, his heart completely aware of the belief that the Sword of Fire carried.

"Let's go," replied Brando, "ahead is the Colddew Manor." ”

"Let's go meet the Queen—"

…… (To be continued......)