24 The Hill of Dreams

In the Dutved Manor, not far west of the city of Komet, Barty Dutved sat lazily in the garden, his short hair and flat head, his upper lip and a short beard, and his white beard could be faintly seen. In this season of summer, Barty likes the feeling of the sun, warm and indescribably comfortable.

"Sir, I have a guest who wants to see you." The servant reported to Barty and handed the guest's business card. Barty glanced at the business card, immediately got up, took a big stride, and straightened his clothes as he went, "Come with me, I'll meet you personally." ”

When Barty and his servants reached the gate of the manor, they saw Koran caressing the mane of a horse with a horse beside him. But Barty still walked directly to Kolan, he bowed deeply, and his face could not contain the excitement, and tears almost burst out of his eyes—

"Mother, you're back."

"Get up, my darling." Kelan also greeted him and lifted Barty with both hands, "After a few years away, I'm finally back." ”

Barty straightened up, wiped away her tears, took Kolan's hands, and looked at her face, "You're still the same. ”

"You're trying to say you're old, right?" Klan smiled motherly and said, "But no matter how old you are, you're still a child to me. ”

"Yes, Mother." Barty finally smiled, and he turned to the two horses, "Oh, God of Sources, I didn't think I'd ever see a real Lyku Heights thoroughbred in my lifetime!" I didn't expect you to really bring it, or two horses. How much did you spend? It can't be the few gold bars that the trustee asked to leave before, right? Barty was also excited to see the good horse.

"No, gold bars serve other purposes. This horse was a coincidence and did not cost anything. ”

"Even if you really get it for those gold bars, it's worth it." Barty exclaimed, and gave the reins of the horse to the servant, "What a horse, what a horse!" Take it to the stables and tell you to take care of it. After the servant had taken the horse, Kran and Barty went down to the manor.

"I see a ship from the Spreet Empire in the harbor, do you understand the situation?" Kelan hadn't forgotten it.

Barty replied: "I have inquired about the news, there are diplomats on board, and there is no hostility. ”

"That's good." Kelan said lightly, and a stone in her heart fell to the ground.

"How long will you stay when you come back this time?" Barty asked.

"It's possible to leave soon, and the matter entrusted to me by your father has finally found a clue, so hurry up."

"That's great, you've been running around for your father's last wish for too long, and it's great to see this puzzle solved...... As you can see, tonight is little Otto's engagement feast, and I hope you will be able to attend as well. ”

"Little Otto...... Oh, your little son. It's time to be of marriageable age...... Okay, I'll definitely participate. After speaking, she gently patted Barty's shoulder, which was a solemn promise, "By the way, what about your wife?" I haven't seen her all the time. ”

"Alas...... At the end of last year, she unfortunately fell ill and passed away, and before she died, she was also worried about you. Barty said, with a sad expression.

"Poor child......" Kelan fell silent, as if reminiscing about the bits and pieces of his past life.

The two of them came to the very modest house in the middle of the manor, and even though the Dutved family had untold wealth, there was no luxury in the decoration of the house.

"In the years I've been away......" After entering the living room, Kelan spoke again, "Is there any news of your brother?" ”

Barty shook her head, and the two sighed almost at the same time. "He has his dreams." "So let me take care of the family business." ”

Kelan nodded, and was about to say something, only to hear a childish call from the next room: "Grandfather, are there any guests coming?" ”

"If there are guests, you can also come out to meet them." Barty whispered, then turned to Kolan and whispered, "This is little Nick, your great-grandson, the last time you saw him was when he was born. And about you, I haven't told anyone below my grandchildren. ”

"Well, that's how it should be." Kelan replied in a low voice.

A boy of five or six years old walked into the living room with a tray in both hands, on which were placed three wine glasses, each containing different colors of wine. "Hello guests! My name is Nick Dutwid, and it's a pleasure to meet you...... You're so beautiful! ”

Kelan laughed out loud and said, "Hello boy, your mouth is so sweet, I like it very much." What are you going to do with all this wine? ”

"I'm learning wine tasting, and I'm about to test my grandfather." Nick Jr. said solemnly, "Will you taste wine?" ”

"Shall I try?" Klan half-crouched, and little Nick held the tray in front of her. Kelan picked up three wine glasses one after another, put them under his nose and sniffed them carefully. "Well, I already know. This red glass is a Spelt Salt, which has been cellared for about 20 years; This white, white, liquor from the Dragon El Valley, where the wheat has a unique aroma and a fresh taste, should have been new last year; As for this yellow one, huh...... Let your grandfather taste it. With that, Koran winked at little Nick.

"Shall I come? Good. Barty picked up the glass, took a sip, and suddenly frowned, "This tastes...... It's weird, the wine is bad, isn't it...... Could it be that there is water seeping somewhere in the cellar? ”

"No, Barty," said Kiran with a smile, "this cup is urine." ”

"Poof! You little bastard - don't run!! ”

After avoiding family trivialities and leaving a devastated world to Barty, Klan returned to the city of Komet alone, and halfway through, she turned to a small hill, the Dream Hill, which, as the name suggests, is as beautiful and colorful as a dream. It is spring, the hillocks are full of green grass, birds and flowers, and fruit trees are thriving, competing to bloom their vitality.

At the very top of the hill stands a vigorous and tall cedar tree, which stretches into the sky, and is lush and verdant, and it is an exaggeration to say that it is a forest of trees, but its trunk requires five or six people to hug it, and the branches are like arms and strands, and even the branches in the treetops can bear the weight of a man.

Kelan walked slowly up the hill to the cedar tree, caressing the moss-stained body, beside the thick roots exposed on the ground, Kelan squatted down respectfully and slowly, and stared deeply into a lawn tablet embedded in the earth:

Carl Dutved is buried here

"Carl, I'm back."

After gently wiping the surface of the stele with a handkerchief and staring affectionately for a moment, Kelan got up and stroked the cedar tree again, and said to herself, "I don't know if I can climb up." ”

Koran leaned his white cane against the trunk of the tree, grabbed a thick branch closest to the ground, and jumped up nimbly...... In a few moments, she had climbed to the very top of the cedar tree and stood on the branch at the treetops. At this height, the city of Komet, the port by the sea, the endless sea, the vast plains and hills, the continuous mountains...... Everything in full view. However, what Kelan looked at was a clear blue sky, as if he was looking for his beloved who had turned into a star—but unfortunately there were no stars at this time.

At the same time that Klan climbed the treetops, Milo and Erin were meeting with Elder Agatha and drinking fruit tea......

A strong wind was blowing in her face, and Kelan felt that she couldn't stand steadily, so she sat on the branch instead.

"You know what? I've found that 'secret' you said in the desert, but it's a pity that the accessories you gave me are left there...... I met a few good friends, some steady, some innocent, and some loyal...... There are also two adopted sons, little Barty is fine, he has been running the family business, but he is also old; The other kid may still be wandering around, I haven't seen him for a long time, and I miss him...... And I, thanks to you, am still like that, always said to be young and beautiful......"

Koran sat down on a branch and whispered to herself, as she had been accustomed to when she was fifteen years old...... As the midday bell rang in the church next to the city of Komet, Kran unconsciously lowered her head and looked in the direction of the town—a small movement caught her attention, the steamship from Sprout was slowly heading out of the harbor. "Maybe it's the end of a diplomatic mission." Kelan thought to herself. There was a faint sound of laughter and laughter in the town, it was people having dinner, but it was even more lively in the evening, and her grandson Otto Jr. was going to have an engagement feast in the town tonight.

"It's going to be a folk dance again." Kelan muttered to himself again.

"Would you like to jump with me?" A gentle older female voice came from under the tree, clearly addressed to Kolan.

Kelan smiled, didn't lower his head, still looked in the direction of the city, and said loudly, "You already knew we were coming, Elder?" With that, she turned and jumped onto the branch below, and with that was the nimbly she jumped back to the ground—Elder Agatha was waiting for her under the tree with a smile on her face. Teacher, I'm back. Koran bowed, "Also, I won't dance with you." ”

Agatha smiled and nodded, looked at the lawn monument under the tree, and said earnestly, "Again, you could have considered starting a new life." ”

"No way, really." Kelan shook his head and said.

"Hmph, it's still the same." The elder smiled wryly, and the two looked at the harbor together, where the Spellet's steamship had not yet gone far, and black smoke was already rising from the chimney. "I've seen your friends." The elder continued.

"Well, I think you predicted our coming, and you've invited them to the castle, right?"

"On this," said the elder meaningfully, "I have sent those two to where they should be. Agatha mentions "the two", and Klan has already concluded in her heart that it is Milo and Erin, because the two will act together.

"Where to go?" Kran wondered, "You already expected us to borrow the Spell Stone?" ”

"That's not difficult," Elder Agatha said confidently, "Aren't we Green Dragon mercenaries that have existed until now by means of prophetic magic. But what I say about 'where to go' has nothing to do with that. ”

"How do you understand that? Teacher. ”

"The two of them are Spellet's wanted criminals, both have committed treason, where do you think they should go?" Agatha changed her tone to a cold tone, to show that this was not a joke.

Kelan understood, she also put away her faint smile, and her face became grim. "You mean—the Misty Jungle?" Kelan's face became solemn, and even though she had always been old and serious, she subconsciously felt nervous, thinking that Elder Agatha must have passed through the town when she appeared here. She looked at the harbor again: the steamship had begun to sail at full speed, heading for the sky.

"The ship is going back to Split," said the elder, "and I have just visited the people on board. ”

Kelan knew that no matter what he said or did at the moment, it would be useless, but he still said: "They are my friends, and I hope you ......"

"Come with me to the castle, Kolan. Aren't you going to borrow the Spell Stone? With that, she turned and walked away.

Koran stood in place, and once more - gently caressing the cedar tree.

"God of Origins, Karl, please bless Milo and Erin and keep them from getting lost in that terrible jungle......"