Heading north through Fort Kurk, the capital of the Golan-Elsen province, into its junction with Lantoniland and Viero, the town of Shallow Water has been quietly located on the western shore of Lake Wallendon for centuries since it was founded for Count Hardinger in the year of the Apocalypse.

The coniferous forests that stretch north of the Goran-Elson show a very different scene here, with large cedar patches scattered among the woodlands, and although it is almost summer, frost falls from the canopy of the horses as they cross the forest avenues.

The closer we get to the town of Reshallow Water, the more obvious the signs of so-called 'late spring' in the northern part of Viero, where the hot summer is nowhere to be found, but where the signs of recovery are delayed.

The air in the forest was still wrapped in the cold of late winter, and the sky was so gray that it was chest-tight, as if Gist, the god of the mountain people, was stirring a layer of lime above the clouds; Brando sat on horseback and looked up, the forest was bare, the thin branches between the trunks of the trees were like dense spider webs stretching into the sky, the buds of the new year were covered with a thin layer of fluff, and the few dead leaves left at the end of the previous year hung quietly under these young shoots, looking like dried chrysalis shaking slightly in the cold wind from a distance.

But this is not the month of recovery, but the sight of a blazing August in the depths of summer.

Such a spectacle amazed everyone in the team, and it was already the moon of fire in time, but this place looked like the turn of winter and spring. Filas rode at the front of the group and sighed, "Is this scenery caused by the so-called frost-stained forest?" ”

His loud voice echoed repeatedly in the forest, startling a gray deer in the woods, much to the displeasure of the guides in front. Legend has it that it is bad luck to annoy the quiet Holy Spirit in the forest, and these noble children are so ignorant and reckless.

However, these local hunters were not able to reason with the nobles for such a thing, so they were barely at peace along the way.

For Firas. This lucky knight from the Cruz Empire is now finally free from being a prisoner. Ten days in prison can be regarded as suffocating him. However, he didn't care about his previous experience, he just regarded it as a misunderstanding, and such an open-minded personality made him win everyone's favor. Because after being released from the cage, he was treated as a guest.

But the other Miss Delphien was more stubborn, though she did not end up in a water prison, either at Freya's persuasion, or out of consideration to keep him from making enemies on all sides. Antitina secretly locked the prime minister's daughter in the upper layers of black cells, separated from the rest of the prisoners.

The following week, she was taken away by Veronica's men, but the lady felt no remorse before leaving, and scolded Brando.

Brando really had nothing to say about such a stubborn madman, and had to leave it to Veronica to deal with herself, and if the Legion lady was smart enough, he felt that she should be sent back home as soon as possible.

Firas looked around, then suddenly tightened his horse's reins and stopped. He turned around and asked, "Lord Count, how far is this from the Froststained Forest?" ”

Lorenna frowned, and replied one step ahead of Brando, "It's still a long way off." I've checked the map. At least a week to go. ”

"So far!" Firas was surprised: "According to our itinerary, this is about the distance from the flower leaf to the alfalfa field." It's equivalent to saying that the mutation in the four-leaf clover forest can affect that Faina? ”

He started with a suffocating analogy. Then he sighed, "If you can change the climate at this distance, won't even the trees in the center of the Frost Forest freeze into ice crystals——? ”

"Almost." Brando replied that even though he had only visited the Frost Forest once, he was impressed by it. In addition, I saw a lot of related strategies later, so I can barely say that I know it well.

Although the name of the Frost Forest Labyrinth is a forest, it is not an exaggeration to say that it is actually a glacier or an ice cave. There were more cold monsters than he had seen in St. Orsor and Faenzan combined.

"It's terrible," Filas shuddered, "Are we going to plunge headlong into the icy forest over there?" Why don't you buy some warm clothes along the way? ”

"Already, Mr. Firas." Medisa rode the unicorn after Brando, smiling and replying. She also glanced at the only wagon in the center of the line, piled high with supplies.

The little prince was assigned to run alongside the wagon, and with the hired local coachmen, he tried to keep the carriage steady on the potholed road, and the crowd heard him shouting in a crisp voice to the four dwarf horses with thick fur, but the four brutes paid no attention to him, but the eight eyes looked at him with a look of contempt.

This scene really made everyone can't help but be a little funny and a little sympathetic.

But fortunately, Haruzer had begun to get used to it, and he raised his head and wiped his sweat, his face was red, and he was wearing a brand new leather armor, and his long sword was behind his back. It looks like a young knight who went to the house of a great nobleman to serve as an attendant, and there is also the image of a little prince who was previously dressed in a brocade robe.

"Oh, I remember." Firas suddenly nodded to himself.

"Filas." Brando turned around at this time and asked, "Did you spend the winter hunting in your hometown?" I've heard that the Barano region is one of the most well-developed areas of the Empire, and that Pesa and Freer are both commercial towns, and that there are very few such forests in the area ruled by your father, right? ”

"Lord Count is very knowledgeable," Filaston felt a little fond of Count Tonigel when he heard someone talk about his hometown—not to mention that Brando was right, and he obviously knew a lot about geography and humanities. He immediately opened the conversation: "That's right, but it's not like I haven't participated in the winter hunt. On several occasions my father and I were invited to the Mosaba Collar where we participated in the winter hunts held by the Grand Duke of Mosaba. After all, winter hunting was a very important activity for the nobility, both a tradition and an important social activity. That's where I met Laurena—"

"I see." Brando saw the female knight blushing on the side, and knew that what Ferras said was true. He also sighed in his heart that it was so, it turned out to be a childhood sweetheart, no wonder Firas was able to defeat many challengers to win the beauty. Plus this guy's personality is really not bad. Barely enough to have some personal charm. At least compared to the heirs of the nobility, so it's no wonder that Laurenna chose him.

He nodded on horseback, as if pretending to be unintentional, "Actually, Mr. Firas could have regarded our operation as a hunting trip. It's just that our opponents are a little more dangerous. ”

"Really?" Firas seemed to come to his senses: "When the Earl said this, I seemed to be a little eager to try. ”

"That's good," Brando smiled. On the side, Charles saw the smile of his lord and understood that some people were about to fall into the pit, and he couldn't help but glance at the young man with some sympathy: "There is a reluctant request below, if Mr. Filas does not dislike it, the task of cleaning the battlefield and sorting out the loot will be entrusted to you." ”

"Huh?" Firas looked overjoyed, for in aristocratic etiquette, only the most honorable guests had the right to be the first to touch and distribute their prey. He never dreamed that this legendary lord would think so highly of him - you must know that it is unlikely that the other party cares about his identity, because just half a month ago, Brando mercilessly imprisoned him and the daughter of the Imperial Prime Minister, and it is obvious that the name of the Cruz Empire is simply worthless in the eyes of this count. But it was precisely because of this contrast that he felt a little flattered and replied, "Since the lord is in love. Then it is better to be respectful than to obey fate. ”

The young man was obviously a little ignorant of Brando's praise for a while, and he even lost his title unconsciously.

Laurenna looked at her fiancé and couldn't help but shake her head. Then he looked up and said to Brando, "Thank you very much for your attention." Lord Earl. ”

"It's okay."

Brando returned the salute politely on the surface, and the expression on his face was light. In fact, he was about to laugh in his heart. He didn't bring the couple with him to join Veronica or anything, in the final analysis, he still liked the luck of the other party as if Martha's own son, compared to the luckiest knight in the history of Cruz, Flo's red hand is probably nothing - not to mention that the sister of the wild elves doesn't seem to be very happy to help him do this now.

He could almost already imagine the days of abundant wealth in the future. If it weren't for the fact that Firas was the eldest son of the Prince of the Cruz Empire, he would probably have tried to detain the other party permanently.

Of course, he may not be without this mind now.

With the previous conversation between Brando and Firas, the atmosphere in the team suddenly became harmonious, and the conversation gradually became much more casual. Brando, however, noticed one exception, and he turned around—the convoy marched down the avenue with tinkling sounds, figures longing, and the afternoon sun after noon through the branches dyed the entire woodland in a dreamy color. But in the midst of the crowd, Freya rode alone at the very edge of the procession, as if it were a separate world, and she looked at it with her head down, holding the slate in her hand and turning it over and over.

It was a weather-stained slab, with a brownish-yellow surface covered with coarse grains, somewhat similar to the weathered granite of the Great Plains of Karamassu. The front and back of the slate were painted with a mysterious symbol of white paint, which itself looked like a very faded lime, but a hand wipe proved the opposite, and Freya had not seen anything unusual from it for several days.

She didn't know why Brando had given her the tablet, and what she said was that it belonged to her, and that one day she would find out the secret on it and something inexplicable. But these days, the slate is still the slate, and there is no change at all. The girl couldn't help but frown slightly, but she didn't wonder if this was another Brando's prank—he always seemed to like to make jokes about himself.

But the girl from the countryside of Buchi hesitated, and finally did not want to throw away the slate. What if it's true? This is what Brando gave her with her own hands, and she has traveled so far for this - the two of them.

Because of this, she held the stone a little embarrassed, and couldn't help but be distracted for a while. She didn't even notice anyone approaching her. Brando lightly touched the future Valkyrie's elbow from the side, "Freya? ”

"Huh?" The familiar voice made the girl turn around, startled and asked, "Boo, Brando, what's wrong?" ”

Brando frowned and looked at the future Valkyrie, her flustered attitude certainly couldn't hide from anyone, "What are you thinking?" ”

"I ...... I'm just trying to find out the secret of this stone. Brando. What exactly is this? Freya's face flushed slightly, of course she was embarrassed to say that she had already thought crookedly. But fortunately, the country girl was still a little anxious, and hurriedly held up the slate in her hand. Asked suspiciously.

Brando glanced at the tablet in her hand, which is sometimes referred to as the key in Amber Sword, but was in fact a replica of the war tablet, most of which had been passed down among the Miner or more ancient prehistoric civilizations. It is used to record the information of the real war tablets.

But there are also some records of ancient secrets, some information about the history, humanities, and warfare before the Battle of the Sages, many of these fragments of stone tablets have been unearthed by the player, and a large part of the background records about Tumen, the Dark Dragon, and the Battle of the Sages have been deciphered by the player.

It's just that the piece he handed over to Freya is very different-

In the game, this tablet has a deep connection with Freya.

In that tumultuous history, Valkyrie, the title that recognized and celebrated Freya's prowess was not an honorific title given to her by Eruin's players, or even a self-appointed title for the kingdom, but from Cruz to St. Osor, and even in Mardara, even her enemies bestowed it on her.

Of course, it's not just because of charisma. And most of these factors. It's because of Freya's Valkyrie sigil.

The mark on her forehead that resembled a holy flame would appear whenever the Valkyrie was in a critical moment or when she was trying her best, and attached a huge wing of light. In such a state. The power of the Valkyries tends to show a geometric progression.

This sign is said to have first appeared during a fight at the Royal Knight Academy, which was one of the main reasons why he insisted that Freya go to the Royal Knight Academy. And after that. The Valkyrie Mark appears more and more frequently, and in those battles of thousands, if not tens of thousands. It is obviously impossible to conceal this secret.

In the original history, Freya's first burst of power was revealed by players during the first battle against the North. Since then, the title of Valkyrie has been with her, but beyond that, more players have begun to search for the secrets hidden within.

And the one who finally deciphers this secret is the player who discovered this slate. Brando can't even remember the player's ID, but he remembers the whole thing clearly.

It was shortly after the Second War of the Black Roses, as more and more replicas of the War Slate were found from all over the world, and players began to spontaneously decipher the contents of the Slate, and the history of the War of the Sages became clearer and clearer.

However, from this stone tablet found from Tonigel, the player who found it deciphered a completely different account. It does not refer to the history of the era of the War of the Sages, nor does it describe a certain war or a certain myth, but repeatedly mentions the Mark of the Valkyries.

And at the end of the slate, there is also a vague mention of the method of activating the Valkyrie's bloodline.

The player who discovered the tablet initially thought it was some quest item to gain a high-level bloodline, but after trying all the tricks and still not being able to get the next quest content, he finally thought of the Valkyrie of Eruin. So he posted his experience and the contents of the tablet on the forum, and not long after, the tablet was bought by someone else at a high price, and then came to Freya's hands.

Brando remembers that it was supposed to be the silver year of the First Age, and not long after that, the Valkyrie of Eruin had mastered the ability to freely enter the Valkyrie state.

Until she died in battle—

But seriously, Brando himself didn't know what to do with the slate. He only learned about the original location of the slate and some of its subsequent experiences based on the information circulating on the Internet.

But at least he was sure that this was the thing, and that it would definitely work for Freya. He thought for a moment and asked, "Do you believe me, Freya?" ”

"I ...... Of course I believe you, Brando. Freya was slightly stunned, and then seemed to understand what Brando meant; She looked at the slate in her hand and nodded helplessly: "I understand, I'll put it away properly." ”

"You don't have to think too much about it, maybe at some point, you'll discover its secrets." Brando grabbed the reins and walked side by side with the Valkyrie, but he could only comfort Freya for her troubles.

"Brando...... You're talking more and more like Roman's aunt. ”

"You just say that I'm getting more and more like a god, I can accept it." Brando replied with some reluctance.

Freya glanced at him and smiled at him, "But it's good, you haven't changed at all from then." Sometimes I'm so scared that you'll become a nobleman, and you'll no longer be that Brando. The girl from the countryside of Buchi turned around and said quietly.

"I haven't changed, but you've changed," Brando nodded, "I've become more mature." ”

"Where...... Where? Valkyrie blushed a little.

"You couldn't say anything like that before, you'd probably say, Brando, how did you get weird!"

"Brando...... You—You're too much......"

……