"You are the men in black, or have you stolen the clothes of the men in black to avoid being pursued, noble lady. The soldier at the head said.

This soldier is not ordinary, it can be seen that these people are all well-dressed, but this soldier is the only one. As the convoy approached, she noticed that her companions were all looking at the soldier with respect, as if he had a distinguished status or an unusual background. He had good features, short light gray hair, a slightly long face, and stubble on his chin and lips, which made him look very vicissitudes, but he was still young, not like a battle-hardened warrior, but more like a prince who was pampered in every way.

Itong put away his weapon and replied, "It seems that we have never seen a thief steal the clothes of the man in black, and no one has chased us." ”

"Then you must be in a lot of trouble. The soldier glanced at the unconscious Carroll, "Your companion was seriously wounded, and you encountered a bandit on the way, or did you encounter some ferocious beast." ”

"When the man in black encounters, even the battle-hardened warrior will put away his bravery and throw away his weapons, you want to hear it, I will tell you when I have the chance, the soldiers from Nishizawa Town. Yi Tong glanced at the convoy again, "The bandits are raging, the road is dangerous, and the heavy guards of this carriage from Lethe Town have not encountered danger along the way, so you have enough luck." ”

"Luck is never on our side, only the weapons in the hands of the soldiers behind you, honorable lady in black, whether you are going east or west, if you go east, the carriage can take you for some distance. The soldier said.

"To the east, to Nishizawa, I need a local witch healer to heal my friend. ”

Amanda and Itong gently placed Carol on the back carriage and sat on it, and the convoy continued eastward.

Tired, Amanda snuggled up to Kelol and fell asleep, and Itong sat alone in front of the carriage, an old man over half a hundred years old, with a bald head and a vicissitudes of life. Every time he waved the leather whip, he complained about the weakness of the old horse, accused the people of Gaoshan of inaction on this mission, and constantly cursed him. Of course, he was speaking to Yi Tong, and the cavalry couldn't hear his complaints. I-Tong pretended to be ignorant, keeping his eyes fixed on the woods on both sides of the road. The leading soldier tightened the reins and came to Yi Tong's side, "I saw the men in black once in Nishizawa Town two years ago, they are all strong warriors, I have never seen such a weak and beautiful woman, is it that the man in black is more beautiful than a beauty like you." ”

"Yes, but you don't have eyes. Itong replied contemptuously.

"Then how can I see it. ”

Yi Tong said without thinking, "How long can you live in war?" Calculate, maybe some soldiers are safe today, glad that they didn't go out of the city to fight, maybe the next day at dawn, a soldier will die in a pool of blood. ”

This is a thought-provoking metaphor. ”

Yi Tong continued, "If you calculate the possibility, a soldier who has survived countless battles and can save his life has received the king's reward and returned to his hometown in triumph to marry and teach children, and he may not have seen the unparalleled beauty among the men in black with his own eyes. ”

"It's worth it more than killing an enemy bravely, receiving the highest honor, and even being able to save your life in the midst of a random arrow, but haven't I met a lady like no other in the world?" said the soldier to Itong with a smile.

After hearing this, Yi Tong stopped looking at this guy with good words. The topic aroused the interest of his subordinates, a slightly chubby man recalling his affair in the Evergreen Pavilion and speaking freely, and another tall man with a good manner, recounting his wife and daughter, whom he praised as the most beautiful. There was a burst of laughter on the other side, followed by a shout, and a thick voice sounded in the convoy, it was a ballad depicting the virgin pool, and as for the content, even Ido sounded blushing. She really felt that it was a mistake to get into the carriage.

The trees on both sides are tall and thick, the sunlight casts dappled light and shadow through the trees, and the soldiers tap with the horse's hooves, their hands clash to the rhythm, and the high-pitched voices are graceful and looping, and when one person finishes singing, the other continues to sing, and the content of the song is constantly changing. One of them, which I once heard Essara sing, is a ballad from the Pasimo Heath, about a nomadic living in the wilderness. Seriously, this song is more suitable for men to sing, but Ai Sarah's voice is beautiful no matter what she sings.

The soldier bent down, lay on his horse, and said to Yi Tong, "There must not be such a harmonious atmosphere among the men in black, look at them, there is no fear of war and fear of death, they are enjoying the bright sunshine and fresh air." ”

"Of course. Yi Tong squinted and also enjoyed the afternoon sun, "Not only that, the man in black will always think about his companion, and when danger comes, he will also stand in front of his companion, and it will be difficult for soldiers to do it, saving their lives is the first thing they have to consider." ”

"It depends on the circumstances, even if they are born lowly, if they take off their military uniform, they are shoemakers, leather craftsmen, weavers, and if they wear military uniforms, life is of no importance to them. The soldier retorted.

"These people haven't been on the battlefield, they can't feel the pain of fighting the enemy on the battlefield, what does it feel like for a friend to die?"

"War? no, the people of the mountains are brave and fearless, don't deny them. ”

"Avoiding war is the real joy of not encouraging them to go out and fight. Yi Tong said.

The soldier seemed to lose patience, "It's up to us to choose." ”

"War is not about who chooses, but who chooses war. Yi Tong said.

The officer smiled, "I don't know how to answer your words, do all the men in black use this way of speaking?"

"No, the men in black have been saving those who have no cure. ”

As the two were talking, an elderly soldier in the convoy raised his high-pitched voice and sang:

Nishizawa high mountains, clouds and seas,

The giant stepped away, and the shadow reappeared,

Break through the shackles, knock open the cage,

O people of the land of Nishizawa,

Blow the trumpet of the dust,

Raise the rusty weapon,

Waving the golden flag,

With our blood,

Spreading the deepening of the earth,

The stars and the moon rise from the mountains, illuminating the dark sky,

The majestic wind rises in the west, blowing through the rotten air,

The dawn rises to welcome the joy of victory,

Phew, the enemy's blade is broken!

Phew, the enemy's blade is broken!

The soldiers listened quietly to the beautiful songs, and after a while, they sang aloud in unison.

Itong closed his eyes and listened to the high-pitched and passionate singing of the soldiers, and the image of the mountain knights galloping on the land of Nishizawa came to mind, and the invincible descendants of the mountains bravely killed the enemy, ran over the mighty army, smashed countless enemy weapons, and even the sun, moon and stars were helping the Nishizawa people to drive away the invading enemy.

The convoy drove into the vast plains and mountains with a low ballad, which is the territory of Nishizawa Town, and if you have good eyesight, you can see the galloping horses and white sheep on the plains, and you can even glimpse the silver-white Lake Rina in the sky when you look southeast. A winding path leads from the North Point Forest to the west and to the far east, and this road is known as the 'Holy Ribbon'. The people of Nishizawa who live here believe that once they step out of the North Point Forest and drive into this path that crosses the sky, they will be concerned by the gods, and danger will not befall here, and killing will be far away, although there is no basis for this, but it is true that there has been no war in this land for a hundred years, and there have been no bandits and bandits.

When the convoy walked on this 'holy ribbon', all the people showed happy expressions, they sang songs, and they strode forward in high spirits:

Seeing your clear brows,

Hear your beautiful singing,

Dancing in the moonlight,

The stars dance with you,

The breeze plays music for you,

The giants of olds heard your song and arose,

The sleeping earth hears your song and awakens,

Children of the mountains, children of Nishizawa,

The rainbow on the horizon is your wedding dress,

The sparkle of Lake Rina is your golden hoop,

Your beauty intoxicates me,

Thy nobility makes me admire,

Goddess Nishizawa, Goddess Nishizawa,

......

Itong was deeply intoxicated by the melodious and beautiful singing, and although there was no harp and flute accompaniment and the voice of the singer, it was still difficult to hide the beauty of the song. Itong couldn't help but sit up straight and take another look at the land, the dazzling sunlight stinging her sleepy eyes, and she couldn't help but squint slightly, looking backwards at the bushes, mounds, flat green fields in the distance, and jagged mountains beyond. In Itong's memory, the Holy Ribbon was a protected land, and wars had never taken place here, and even the Battle of the Evergreen Pavilion had never desecrated the Holy Land here.

One of the soldiers suddenly shouted, "Look! We're at Reims Pass, and we're close to the town of Nishizawa after passing through it." As the crowd quickened, Itong looked east, and on top of the hill, an old abandoned beacon stood alone in the sun, a silver crown enclosed by a snow-white stone wall. The beacon tower has been abandoned for many years, but it has become a landmark of the land, and those who travel to all corners of the continent or trade merchants who pass by will climb the beacon tower to see the vast land of Nishizawa, and if it is more appropriate, the shelter from the wind and rain is even better.

Itong knows this place even better than the local people of Nishizawa. She had heard from Maester Pesil that during the Dark Ages, it was difficult for the Ravens and Scouts to communicate between the city-states, so the ancestors built beacons and used the flames to transmit signals. The beacon is a big deal, but how many people still know its story, Yi Tong thought to himself, and now it is in ruins.

"Honorable lady in black, we are getting closer and closer to the town of Nishizawa, and it will not be long before we have a brief farewell. The soldier turned sideways to Itong and said, "Allow me to sit beside you and see your beauty once more, or you and I will sit on the same horse." ”

Yi Tong ignored him. One of the soldiers took over, "The man in black can stay in Nishizawa for one night, and when the sun sets, we can drink a glass of wine and dance together." ”

"You're willing to throw away your wife and children!" the soldier next to him coaxed.

"He won't do that, I dare to hit my belongings, his wife will castrate him. The soldiers burst into laughter again.

"Castrate him for nothing, with the weight and skill of a lady, in less than half a minute, he will be a piece of pie. "It's hard to ask him to leave his homeland. "The soldiers are gossiping.

The taunted soldier asserted loudly, "If you can have a drink with me and pee standing up, you will know that what I say is not a lie, and I will take off this dress if I am afraid of my wife and children." ”

Itong sat in the carriage and blew the cool breeze leisurely, not caring what they were talking about. The soldier said to Itong again, "Forgive these rude blacksmiths, who speak upright, but have good intentions, Miss Black!"

"If you have the heart to talk, you might as well rush to the town and heal my friend's broken arm. At this time, Carol was still unconscious, and the blood on his clothes had clotted into blood clots.

The soldier replied, "I'd like to get to Nishizawa as soon as possible, but the carriage can't be fast, and if the man in black is proficient in beast language, I can discuss with him." ”

"I'm wondering what the hell is in the wagon. Yi Tong said.

"Sand powder. ”

"Sand powder is only available to the dwarves of the Hata-Hills, and it's not easy to get your hands on. ”

"Dwarves also need to live, they need to do business. ”

"Calling a deal with a weapon around your neck?"

"Not only did the sand powder cost Nishizawa a lot of money, but we also gave them the most precious treasures."

Yi Tong gently stroked the tightly wrapped sand powder with his hand, and muttered to himself, "Even if it is to exchange precious treasures for the price of war, what a group of naïve people. ”

"Of course," said the soldier, "we have also exchanged the sand dust that has been circulating in the black market, but we have spent ten full days searching for these dangerous little things. ”

"It's so small that a handful can take dozens of lives. Yi Tong said.

"Striking at the enemy requires these humble but very effective means. ”

"No army can withstand this dust, and neither is the Northern Army. Yi Tong said.

"You guessed it, half of it was for them. ”

"Oh! I thought you would have had some courage to go to war, and I thought you would just sit on a foal and sing a song leisurely. Yi Tong said with a smile.

The soldier seemed to be mocked by this sentence, and put away his smile, "You are denying my ability! The long sword at my waist has slain hundreds of enemies without leaving a dull trace, and this sword was given to me by the King of Nishizawa himself." ”

"A long sword is not necessarily as agile as a short sword, let alone a warrior who is proficient in martial arts, and a long sword will only pull back on the battlefield, unless you are extraordinary, but I don't see anything. Yi Tong said.

"The sword will stop the enemy two meters away from me, and the weak lady really doesn't understand or hasn't seen war. The soldier leaned down and looked at Yi Tong.

Yi Tong laughed even more when he heard the soldier's words, "Your farewell ceremony can be exchanged for a fair competition, and I can have a discussion with you." ”

"Sparring, sparring with a young lady?" the soldier sneered, "There is no fairness at all, and if I am asked to compete in martial arts with a beautiful and weak woman, how will the people of Nishizawa laugh at me." ”

"Then take your foal back to the front of the group, I don't want to hear your gibberish again. Then he gently snuggled up to the goods and closed his eyes, continuing to enjoy the bright sunshine and fresh air.

As they spoke, the convoy had already left Reims Pass, the deserted beacon tower revealing a striking white glow behind them, and the soldiers' mood became happier with the 'Holy Ribbon' that had penetrated into the town of Nishizawa, and they were laughing and laughing and singing old songs along the way. During the journey to transport the goods, the convoy did not encounter any danger, and the only moment that made the soldiers nervous was when they ran into Itong and Kairol, but fortunately it was not an ambush, maybe the convoy was fortunate to have met the man in black, and even more fortunate that when the story of the man in black spread to every corner of Nishizawa Town, it was something that was lovely. The raging bandits had the same idea, not to provoke any of the men in black.

The convoy passed through a desolate boulder forest, with a thousand strange huge rocks deeply embedded in the hard layer, quietly looking up at the scorching sun above the sky, some like an old woman, some like an infant baby, some like a knight with a sword in hand, some like a dancing girl, among which there was a huge boulder standing in the stone forest, looking down on this desolate land, square and round, irregular edges and corners like the Yama shield of the Deman people in the western desert.

In this area, Itong had passed by once, that time from the Dusk Castle, rushing to the Desperate Mountains to support the members of the organization trapped there, and she was accompanied by Irina and Frida, but that day, the sky was drizzling, and it was a week at a time, so that the water of Lake Rina rose wildly, and almost Itong and Irina had to make a big bend. Although this huge stone forest looks a little terrifying, it also keeps out the strong winds from the west and north, and protects the low-lying town of Nishizawa from the strong winds.

Amanda woke up from her deep sleep, looked at this strange place, and said to Yi Tong hesitantly, "Senior Yi Tong, where have we been, it's so strange here." ”

"This is a boulder forest, not far from the town of Nishizawa. Itong responded.

"Boulder Forest! Oh! I saw a forest of stone for the first time. Amanda looked east and west, like an innocent child, "I heard in my sleep, someone was shouting about Lance Pass, I don't know if I was dreaming, my body was so tired in the past two days that I accidentally fell asleep." ”

"Take advantage of this time to take a good rest, and when we get to Nishizawa Town, we will be separated. Yi Tong said.

"Actually...... We can put Kairol in Nishizawa to be safer, so that I can rush to Kuchigi with you and take care of each other, Ito-senpai. ”

"Shut up, just do what I say, you follow me will only hold me back, and the safety of Kyrol is your top priority. Yi Tong said sternly.

"Uh-huh....... Amanda responded in a low voice, then turned her head to look at the unconscious Carol, and suddenly shouted in surprise, "Itong senior, look! Carole's senior's neck!" Itong turned her head to look at the unconscious Carole, and suddenly felt uneasy in her heart, she pulled Carole's neck down, and a black blood thread extended down the severed arm to the neck, like a black poisonous snake, and a fishy smell could be smelled at the wound, and the red blood stains on the clothes could also be seen turning black.

"If we delay any longer, our lives will be in danger. Yi Tong said. Amanda was even more anxious, "What about Yitong-senpai!"

"We're still in the town of Nishizawa in about an hour, and when we get there, hurry to the witch doctor in the town, and only she has the right recipe to treat Kelol. Yi Tong said.

"What about you?"

"My plan remains the same. Yi Tong comforted, "Don't worry, Kairol's life is big, calm down, you will definitely be able to save Kairol." ”

An hour later, the convoy arrived at the town of Nishizawa, which was built on the mountain, and the high mountain to the north was Nishizawa Takayama. Nishizawa Takayama is a little different from many mountains in that it is made of black boulders that come to an abrupt end when it touches the clouds. Looking down at the mountains in the distance, it looks like a dark area abandoned by the sun and the moon. But the eyes deceived everyone, it was a sacred mountain, and the people of Nishizawa Town believed that this Nishizawa mountain was a sleeping giant, and their goddess Nishizawa lived on the top of the mountain raised by the giants. On the first day of each month, the king of Nishizawa would lead the people to the top of the pagoda to sing praises to the goddess Nishizawa, praying that she would bring good weather and good food to the town, and ward off diseases and disasters.

The tower is immaculately white and pearl-embellished, connected by a white marble promenade built in mid-air, with eight carved marble columns supporting an arched white dome, in which green vines entangle the corridor into a turquoise passage. Twelve towers meander upwards, eleven bridges connect them, and white lightning strikes halfway up the mountain.

The pagoda is four feet high, with twelve pillars supporting the spire of the domed tower, each of which is carved with the servants of the goddess Nishizawa, who face in all directions and hold twelve different offerings. There are garlands of vines, flowerpots full of stars, waning moons in freeze frames, elks with their heads raised in contemplation, golden hammers striking anvils, stringed harps playing notes, rivers flowing into the full moon, scarred helmets of the sun, crowns of lost glory, broken bows, scepters, and horseshoes. The spiral staircase leads to the top of the first tower at the foot of the mountain, from where it is possible to reach the highest one through the promenade. When the blessing ceremony begins, the Grand Master of the Holy Tower and the four Scholars carrying the tribute will pass the first Holy Tower, then walk over the eleven bridges and eleven Holy Towers until they reach the highest point where the cold wind howls and enter the Valhalla, the twelfth of the Holy Towers. Looking up from the foot of the mountain, you can only catch a glimpse of the pearl in the dim darkness of the Nishizawa Mountains.

The pagoda belongs to the Nishizawa Mountains, and the King's Golden Temple is located on a hill at the southern end of the mountain. Nishizawa's territory is spread out in the Kinden Shino, and clusters of houses stand on the open plain, and the Wono River, which branches off from the Takisui River, crisscrosses the town of Nishizawa and turns from the east to the north, bypassing the Nishizawa Takayama and turning to the main stream in the north. Farmhouses and fields also gradually spread outward with the flow of the Woye River, eventually encircling the Golden Temple.

When the holy brocade enters the town of Nishizawa, it will circle several times in the ridges of fields and farms before arriving at the military camp that guards the city. If you step through the fields and the farm to find a shortcut, you will only inexplicably break into the dead beach crisscrossed by the Woye River. "All of this layout is like a web woven across the earth, and the goddess Nishizawa has bestowed upon this land with a special structure comparable to the easily defended castle of Seahorse Town and the high walls of the Giant's Bridge. When the convoy arrived in Nishizawa, Isidor said to a sleepy-eyed Ito.

The carriage slowly drove into the western military camp of Nishizawa Town, and a dozen soldiers in brown leather armor and loose cloth trousers trotted all the way behind the carriage, and a cavalry regiment of more than a dozen people rode from another camp far away. The soldiers in the tent heard someone shouting outside for the prince's return, and they lifted the heavy curtain to look around, and when they realized that this was true, they ran out regardless of the improper uniform. The quiet barracks exploded in an instant, like a stone stirring up a thousand waves. Soon the crowd surrounded the carriage with water. There are all kinds of names such as "Lord", "Prince", and "My King", but the only thing that can be explained is that the soldiers at the head of the convoy are their prince, the son of Holheller, the king of Nishizawa, the rightful heir to the throne of Nishizawa, and the young leader of the people of the mountains, Prince Isidore.

Yamanda's face was full of doubts, and he tugged at Yi Tong's sleeve, "Senior, you see, the leader of that convoy turned out to be Prince Nishizawa, have I done anything to offend him?" ”

"Hmph, you're really useless, an ordinary prince can make you lose the dignity of a man in black!It's enough to do your thing, I don't want to hear anything else!" said Itong to Amanda in an airy voice. At this time, the officer walked up to Yi Tong's side, "Lady in black, my honorable lady, I have offended a lot along the way, I hope you will forgive me." ”

"Oh, I can't afford that, how could I, a little man in black, make Prince Nishizawa say words of forgiveness. Itong said to the prince as he tended to Carol's wounds.

Prince Isidore smiled, "I don't know your name yet, and you don't know my name either, my name is ......"

"King Holheller's son, Isidore of the town of Cizezawa, I am only a nobody, and the prince does not need to know my name. ”

Someone else came to report, "Your Royal Highness, Your Highness the Prince, the King has summoned you in the hall. ”

"Go find the soldier and send the man in black with the broken arm to the witch doctor in the black room, and do everything you can to cure him. Isidó said.

"Your Highness, don't worry, leave it to me. The soldier responded.

The sky gradually darkened, and a fantastic rainbow appeared in the western sky. Standing in the afterglow, Yi Tong looked at the beautiful and moving scene, and muttered to himself, "Is this the meaning of victory or blood." ”

"It's just a beautiful sunset, which means it's going to be a good weather tomorrow!" said Isido, who said to Ito, "It's a sight that is often seen in Nishizawa Town, and people will observe these subtle and unknown skies to determine if they are suitable for farming and traveling." ”

"Is there a difference between observing the heavens and astrology? I don't believe in these unrealistic things. Ido responded.

Isidore smiled, "Of course, sometimes it doesn't work, it becomes a topic of discussion, or two drunks gambling on two glasses of wine, and two people betting on two sheep." ”

"It's boring!" said Ito, "Prince Nishizawa doesn't manage the people, how can he have the leisure time to come to me to chat!"

"Hmm...... , I want to say goodbye to you, you are about to rush to Rotten Wood Town, and I will go to Yulinburg, the two are separated by one side, maybe I will never see the most beautiful face in the world again, so I will come to see you again. Isidore said.

Itong seemed to feel a little shy, "It's better to never see you again, maybe I'll be happier in my heart." As she spoke, she began to arrange the horses, and she put some food and water on the horse's back, and saddled the horse.

"It's a good horse, it's called Diego, its former owner died three months ago, and now it's met you again, and it seems that it's found a new owner again. Isidore stroked Diego, the muscles of his back bumpy, his silver sideburns shining brightly in the sunset. Diego nodded, seeming to understand what Isidore was saying.

Isidore smiled and said to Itong, "I will come back alive, and when I return, I will marry the princess of Yulinburg." ”

Itong stopped, hesitated for a few seconds, and continued to arrange the horses, "Even if I marry your goddess Nishizawa, it has nothing to do with me. ”

"It's just a necessary condition for a covenant between the two castles, but I don't have any ideas, maybe I won't agree, eh...... I wouldn't agree. Isidore paused for a moment and then said, "How can I see you? Shall I go to the Twilight Bunker to find you, or will I follow your route to Rotten Wood?"

"If you go to Rotten Wood Town, you will die there, if you want to save your life, just stay here obediently, and don't go anywhere. Itong said to Isido with his back to him.

"Well, even if I die in Rotten Wood Town that day, I can still look at you again before I die. Isidó said.

Yi Tong secretly laughed, and put on a serious expression again, "That's because you are too stupid and too incompetent, if you have the ability, take your sword that has killed hundreds of enemies to repel the enemy." ”

"If I can get the beautiful lady in black to forgive me, I will prove it to you. ”

"Oh, hehehe! Well, I'll forgive you that day. Itong said as he jumped on his horse, "If you want to see me again, live well, I don't want to be looked at by a dying man for the last time." ”

"Beautiful Miss Black! That day will come! Don't hide from me everywhere!"

Itong laughed and rode away.