Walking through the castle gates, Christian stood still, looking at the man who had hurried to greet him. Duke Frecy was thin and old, with a haggard appearance, and gray hair began to appear on his head.

"Thank the gods for their protection! Chris, you're finally back! Duke Frecy's face was full of excitement, and he quickly greeted Christian, and held him in his arms, and his hand was surprisingly strong: "Child! I've been worried about you! ”

"Father!" Christian, who was firmly embraced, hesitated for a moment, and finally reached out to hug Duke Fresse back, and patted him on the back as if to soothe.

"You led the Demon War!" Duke Frecy's face was full of relief and pride: "Son! You have taken on the responsibility of a paladin at such a young age, and you are my pride! ”

"Father......" Christian hesitated for a moment before speaking, "I have something to tell you." ”

"You can probably guess what you're trying to say!" Duke Frecy patted his son on the shoulder: "Go home, have a good rest, and we'll have a good chat in the evening." ”

At night, in the Duke's small drawing-room, Christian and his father sat opposite each other, and both father and son's faces were a little serious.

"I'm going to the royal city." Christian's tone was calm: "Ferdinand's good days are over. I don't think it was the king who was going to do it to my mother, it was him. ”

"Do you have proof?" Duke Frecy frowned: "I thought ......"

"You thought it was the king's own order." Christian shook his head: "But it's not. I met a magician in Emerald Town, whom Leo recognized, who had previously been the city-guarding wizard of Fort Frecy, around the time of my mother's death. We interrogated him. ”

"He's Ferdinand?" Duke Frecy's eyes widened in disbelief: "Started the layout so early?!" ”

"Yes!" Christian nodded: "The interrogation method is very reliable, it was a potion made by Lily. Do you know Lily? Lily Burt of Saalfield Fort, a genius alchemist, the girl I love. ”

"Count Bert's daughter?" Duke Frécy immediately threw aside the old information and began to care about another topic: "I know! The Knights, who had withdrawn from Mortapha, had been talking about her being the most beautiful lady of the nobility in the entire kingdom. But some people say that she is a powerful black magician. ”

"Lily is an alchemist, and every magician uses some black magic." Christian looked at his father expressionlessly: "It doesn't mean anything. ”

"I didn't mean anything else." Duke Frecy looked at his son helplessly: "I just, just relay the news I heard from the Knights. As for whether she is a dark mage...... As your father, I can not care, but you will become the king of the entire Blood Leaf Kingdom in the future, you ......"

"Lily hasn't agreed to my proposal yet." Christian replied stubbornly, "But I won't give up!" I actually hope that she will be crowned with me, as queen. ”

"If you really think about it." Duke Frecy sighed: "Sometimes, beautiful appearances are really dazzling, when we fall in love with someone, we don't know what the price will be paid in the future, just look at me." Your mother is also an unforgettable beauty. ”

"Lily is not like her." A gentle smile appeared on Christian's lips: "You know what? She was the one who led me to the Sword of Aris. At that time, I was betrayed by my own guards, hunted down, like a lost dog, and it was Lily who saved me. She is my angel, she represents light and hope to me, all my longing and yearning in this world. I love her to the death, even at the cost of everything. ”

"Yes!" Duke Frécy looked at his son with emotion: "She is different from your mother, and you are not like me. I'm a cowardly loser who can't even protect my wife and son......"

"You ......" Christian hesitated for a while, but finally asked, "You know, I got the Holy Sword of Aris from my mother's graveyard. My mother's bones weren't there. ”

"Her graveyard?" Duke Frecy was slightly surprised: "Is that fake tomb behind the church in the village to the west?" It should be empty! I buried an empty coffin in it, and I didn't go when I was buried, but you should be there. ”

"Empty?" Christian looked at his father in surprise: "And where are my mother's bones?" You can't just disappear into thin air, can you? She was just an ordinary person, not a demon as rumored, how could the corpse disappear. ”

"At the mausoleum in Fort Frecy." Duke Frecy's face showed a dejected expression: "Where did I secretly place her." You know, the king doesn't agree to let her into our family mausoleum, but she's my wife, and I can't bear to be separated from her after I die. ”

"So ......" Christian looked at his father in surprise: "The tomb of the village church, is it fake?" ”

"Yes!" Duke Frécy nodded: "I dare not disobey the king's orders. I'm a cowardly man, right? It's good that you're not like me, you're a tough and brave kid. ”

"But you didn't get a new wife in the end, it's for my sake." Christian lowered his head: "Otherwise I would have died a long time ago." The king is not satisfied with my origin, you know, as long as you remarry, no matter which noble lady you marry, the king does not want me to live, he wants an heir to the kingdom with a purer blood. Duke Sartre once hunted me down openly, and he should have obtained the king's tacit approval. We all know that Duke Sartre's sister has not remarried since she was widowed, and the king wants you to marry her. ”

"It's me who I'm sorry for you." Duke Frécy had a bitter smile on his lips: "That's all I can do. ”

"Then ......" Christian took a deep breath and looked up, "If you don't mind, I want the king to abdicate." He has been ill for a long time and is no longer capable of leading the country. ”

Duke Frecy hung his head in silence for a long time, until when Christian thought he would refuse to respond, but he finally nodded slightly.

"Well......" Duke Fressey's tone was soft, a little depressed, but resolute: "I will support you." I had already thought that there would be this day. The Knights of Fort Frecy are not disbanded, and you can go at any time. I will do everything I can to support you. ”

"Thank you!" Christian looked at his father and thanked him softly. He knew that Duke Frécy was accustomed to obeying his brother, and how difficult it was to make a decision in favor of him.

"You deserve it!" Duke Frécy raised his head and smiled sadly at his son: "You deserve the throne!" ”