The barons looked at each other, and under the pressure of Arnold and Serena, none of them dared to disagree, even if Arnold said that it would be okay.

And the two barons who had just asked the question also lowered their heads, not daring to look at Arnold again.

Arnold looked around at the vassals in the banquet and saw their bowed heads in obedience, with a slightly satisfied smile on his face.

"Well, don't let boring words disturb our dinner. Arnold sat down, took his glass, and refilled the wine, "Let's go on, please enjoy the evening." ”

The barons smiled reluctantly and nodded, tonight's feast may be rich, but if you want to enjoy it, I'm afraid it will be difficult.

Arnold, of course, didn't care about the feelings of these guys, he looked at Serena beside him, and his eyes couldn't help but show a little warmth.

Serena glanced at her brother, but didn't care at all about Arnold's tenderness.

And Isabella on the other side saw this scene and puffed up her mouth in anger.

The table was lively again, and the barons, whether intentionally or unintentionally, began to talk and laugh freely again.

Just as everyone was having their own thoughts, Reilly walked over.

"Your Excellency. ”

He leaned next to Arnold and whispered in his ear.

"Doug is here. ”

Arnold couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

Doug was the squire and friend he grew up with, and Arnold's most trusted person.

However, he was also Harper's second son, and both father and brother died at Arnold's hands, and even if he received the title of Baron Hankston, Arnold was not sure whether he would harbor hatred for himself in the heart of his own small and breasted brother.

Fonner and Titus sat relatively close to Arnold, and when they saw Arnold frowning and silent, they couldn't help but put down their wine glasses and look at Arnold.

As for the other barons, their eyes had been staring at Arnold as if they were not, they had already noticed Reilly just now, and now they saw that Arnold's expression was not quite right, and they all fell silent.

"Where is he?" Arnold asked, tilting his head back and whispering to Reilly.

"In the courtyard outside. ”

Arnold nodded and stood up.

The barons' eyes rose as Arnold got up.

Arnold frowned again and looked around at the barons.

He left his seat, walked up behind Serena, and held out his hand to his sister.

Serena frowned slightly, but still reached out and placed her hand on her brother's palm.

Arnold took Serena by the hand, then pulled her to her seat.

The barons watched Arnold's move, and some of the young people opened their mouths in astonishment, not understanding the significance of the move.

Arnold pressed Serena on the shoulder and made her sit in her seat.

He looked at the barons, said nothing, and walked straight away.

Fonner looked at Selina on the throne and bowed his head thoughtfully.

——————————————————————

Arriving in the courtyard outside the main fort, Arnold immediately saw Doug standing in the cold wind.

Doug's face doesn't look very similar to Penn and Harper, his face is round, he looks very honest, and he can even be said to be a little stupid, especially the pair of mung bean-like eyes dotted on his round face, whether it is honest or cute, it makes Doug's face look a little stupid.

In fact, Doug's character is indeed very straightforward, he is not at all like his father and brother, who are scheming about the future of the family and trying their best, and perhaps because of this, Arnold will take a special fancy to his milk brother.

Seeing Arnold, there was a clear look of joy on his round face, but Doug may have thought of something, and the smile he had just shown immediately retracted.

Arnold's face was calm, without any joy at seeing Fa Xiao.

"Doug. He walked down the steps to Doug, "How are you studying in the Paladin?"

"Ah......" Doug couldn't help but be stunned, he didn't expect Arnold to ask about this when he saw him, instead of greeting him or greeting him.

"Why, haven't you learned anything?" Arnold continued.

"No, I'm ......," replied Doug with a bitter round face, "I'll go there...... It's not like I'm going to study......"

"Didn't they teach you even a little bit of the scriptures?"

"I don't understand it even if I teach it......" Doug scratched the back of his head and smiled awkwardly.

Arnold sighed.

"yes, you idiot, what can I expect from you?"

He patted Doug on the shoulder.

"Do you hate me about your father and your brother?"

Doug was stunned.

"If there is no hatred...... Doug's voice was low, inevitably showing a little sadness, "that's impossible, they are my father and brother after all." ”

"But, I also know that they have betrayed you, and you will not be able to forgive them. ”

Arnold listened silently, without saying a word.

"I don't know who's right and who's wrong, I just know that in my brain, I can't understand the consideration between you. ”

Doug rubbed his eyes, like a child, and hastily wiped the tears from his eyes.

"Right now, I'm also confused. You made me a Baron of Hankston, and I can't be a lord like my father and brother, and I don't know how to deal with my nephew and tell the boy who killed his father. I'd rather be like the one I used to, where you call me and drink and tell me to do whatever I do, and I'll feel more comfortable than I am now, confused and unsure of how to move forward......"

Arnold listened to Doug's words as he silently paced to Doug's side, he and Doug stood side by side with their backs, and when Arnold heard Doug say that he would rather live at the behest of others, Arnold reached out and patted his breast brother on the shoulder.

"Davide's family, I have not forgotten the affection that your mother once had for me. I also know that Harper and Payne are not willing to betray me in their hearts. But that doesn't mean I can forgive them, I can't treat them like I did with my father, because it's politics and there has to be a person of sufficient weight to take responsibility for these things, with his life. ”

Arnold sighed slightly, raised his head, and looked at the bright moon in the sky.

"Perhaps, you will never understand this when you say this. Perhaps, you really should be a paladin, and I shouldn't be this duke. ”

Doug couldn't help but be surprised, he subconsciously wanted to turn around, but when he turned his head sideways to see Arnold's hand on his shoulder, Doug immediately lowered his head.

Even a stupid person like him knows that Arnold's identity is different now than before.

He's not the same as him.

"You're a stupid man, but you don't need a brain to be a paladin, and that's perfect for you. And I, I'm afraid, am not fit to be a duke, that means that the duty is too heavy to bear, and it is not what I wish to undertake. ”

"But ......"

Arnold withdrew his hand on Doug's shoulder and paced two more steps forward.

"But there are some things that you can't put down once you pick them up. There are some things that cannot be escaped. Even if I thought about living in seclusion in the mountains and studying books for fun, I could not have trusted Serena and Isabella. And you, even if you really want to be a paladin, you can't avoid the fact that you are a member of the Davide family. ”

Doug slowly turned around and looked at Arnold, and on the side face that was sprinkled with silver sand by the moonlight, Doug seemed to see tears flowing down as if he were water.

"I'd like to go back in time, but looking at the world, all of history, there is no god who can turn back time. That's a law that Hull can't control, and nothing can break it. So, Doug, if you really don't know how to move forward, then you can take your own steps, no matter where you are going, whether it is forward, backward, or standing still, as long as you are walking, you will be able to walk. ”

Arnold hung down his face, his black hair dyed silver in the moonlight, but to Doug, it looked like the old man's pale hair.

"What's more, in this world, who knows where the front is and where the rear is? Who can say whether the times are advancing or retreating? We live in it, and maybe, in fact, up and down, left and right are the way forward, but no matter which way we go, we can't move forward. ”

Doug opened his mouth, and finally, his straightforward personality made him say what was in his heart.

"Arnold, I don't know if I really understand what you mean, but I think what you said is very similar to the concept of 'chaos' that the elders in the monastery said. ”

Arnold didn't say anything for a moment, just stood there with his head bowed. And Doug saw him like this, and his heart was uneasy, for fear that what he had just said would make Arnold unhappy.

"Good thing you still call me Arnold. Arnold turned around, and the smile on his face didn't look like he was unhappy at all, "I'm happy, really." ”

Doug was stunned, he couldn't guess if Arnold was sincere, but since he said so, then Doug believed it.

"The Gallup knights are still unwilling to submit to me. Arnold looked at the south tower behind the walls of the inner court and frowned slightly, "I want you to take his place." ”

"Succeeding Knight Gallup?" Doug looked at Arnold in disbelief as he spoke, "I, just someone like me, going to replace Knight Heathcliff Gallup as Knight Master of the Blood Cross?"

"Hmm......" Arnold's brow furrowed a little tighter, "it doesn't seem appropriate." Actually, I just want you to be the captain of my personal guard, and be in charge of the security of my side. ”

Doug breathed a sigh of relief, completely oblivious to Arnold's other meaning.

"That's good, I feel more comfortable this way, as the captain of the guard, this is what I should have done. ”

"Really, do you think it's appropriate?" Arnold looked at the smiling Doug, and suddenly added faintly, "My previous captain of the guard was your brother Payne. ”

Doug's smile froze.

"Do a good job. Arnold walked over and patted Doug on the shoulder again, "I don't want my position as captain of the guard to become a curse. ”

Finding that Arnold was planning to return to the castle, Doug, who had been stunned for a while, hurriedly ran a few steps to catch up. But after a few steps, he hesitated again.

Should I ...... Am I eligible to go in?

Doug looked at Arnold's back, and the confusion in his heart did not dissipate.

Am I really, still able to stand by Arnold's side as before?

"What are you doing standing there?" Arnold's voice woke Doug as he was in a daze, "You haven't eaten since you came to Lionheart, have you?" ”

Doug stared at Arnold blankly for a moment, then happily followed suit.

"It's okay! you're going to give me half of your share every time anyway!"