He believed that a small expedition would only need a small army of pack animals, and that all his food supplies would have to be carried with him as he crossed the mountains in winter.

He also didn't think he wanted to convey murderous intent to the Spirit, but few people other than his entourage knew about his true mission.

Ostensibly, he traveled to the Kingdom of the Mountains to meet with Froya's father, King Iyu, seeking possible military support against the Red Ships.

Among the entourage of Crown Prince Hermes, several are quite noteworthy.

Haode, the Battle Yin Master of Fort Stag, was one of the first candidates he picked.

Even in her old age, her mastery of strategy is unmatched in her territory, and her mastery of weapons is still outstanding. Charin, Hermes' personal servant, followed him for many years and accompanied him through many battles.

It was no surprise that Hermes had chosen these two to accompany him.

Ari, with brown skin as his name suggests, has been an armed guard for Hermes for more than a decade, having lost an eye and suffered a serious injury to an ear, but he seems more alert than anyone else.

The twins, Kev and Kove, who, like Arri, had served as Hermes' guard of honour for many years, and this time they were accompanied by them.

Another member of the team was Borges, the head of the stables at Fort Stag, who volunteered to join the expedition.

When he was opposed to leaving Fort Buck, he pointed out that a stable had been arranged to take charge of Fort Stag, and that the expedition needed someone who knew how to survive the harsh winter in the mountains.

He also pointed out that his ability as a physician and his experience as Prince Silver's Celestial Prince also made him eligible to join the expedition, though few people knew that he was with him.

Hermes summoned me to his study the night before his departure. "You don't agree with that, do you? You think it's a futile run. He greeted Filin.

Filin had to smile, but he did inadvertently say what Filin was thinking.

Filmin thought he was probably quite skeptical about this matter. Filin cautiously agreed with him.

"Me too. But is there any other choice for Film? At least it would give Filmin a chance to do something himself, rather than sitting in that damn beacon until he died. ”

He had spent the past few days copying Floya's map. As he watched him carefully roll up the map transcript and put it in his holster, he couldn't help but be amazed at how far he had changed since last week. He was still pale and exhausted, and his body had atrophied from too many months of sedentary time, but he was now in good spirits.

Ever since he decided to carry out this mission, he and Floya have been in the hall every night. It was a joy to see him have an appetite, and he once again held a glass of wine and stayed to listen to Fang Run or other bards sing and entertain the people, and the renewed enthusiasm between him and Floya was another of his renewed desires.

As they sat at the same table, she rarely looked away from her husband's face. And when the bard entertains the masses, she always puts her finger behind his upper arm.

She shone like a burning candle in front of him.

Despite his best efforts to protect his heart, he still knew too much the high joy of their night together.

Filmin tried to immerse herself in Ariana's tenderness to avoid the passion between them, but in the end, Ariana was overjoyed by Film's renewed enthusiasm, which made Filmin feel guilty.

How will she feel when she learns that my desires for her are not entirely my own?

It's arcane spells. Film's powers and pitfalls were once warned about how it attracts people and drains one's energy to the desire to use it.

No one had ever warned of the trap that Filin was currently facing, so in some ways he was expecting Hermes to leave so that Filin could regain his mind.

"The tasks you do in the beacon are just as important. If only the people could understand how you burned yourself for them......"

"You know that very well. People are getting closer this summer, boy, closer than Filin could have imagined.

Since your father's death, no one has been so close to Film. ”

Closer than you realize, Your Highness the Prince. However, he did not dare to say it. "Yes. ”

"Filin wants to ask you for a favor, in fact, two favors. ”

"You know Filin won't refuse. ”

"Don't make premature assumptions. First of all, I would like to ask you to take care of Mrs. Filin. She's learned a lot about Stag Castle's rules, but she's still too trusting of others, so make sure she's safe until Filmin returns. ”

"Don't worry, even if you don't open your mouth, I'll do it, Your Highness. ”

"Another thing. He took a breath and sighed, "I want to stay here too, in your heart, as much as I can." ”

"Your Highness. Filmin hesitated. He's right, it's not something I want to commit to him, but I have said yes because I know it's a wise choice to defend the Kingdom.

What about myself? Filin had already felt that Hermes's powerful force was gradually eroding the boundaries of Filin's psyche, and that people were not talking about a connection of hours or days, but of weeks or even months of contact.

Filin wondered if this was the case with the members of the arcane spelling team, and if they would eventually be able to live independently. “

What about the members of your arcane spell team?" Filin asked calmly.

"How are they?" he retorted, "for the moment Filin has left them on the beacon and Filin's battleship, and whatever messages they want to send can be passed on to Caton, and she will pass them on to Creek when he is away.

If they think that Filmin should know something, they can directly send a secret message to Film. He paused, "Filin has to ask for other information through you, and Filin would rather keep it private." ”

He thought so about the news of the Queen, and how His Majesty would abuse his power in his absence, and all kinds of rumours and conspiracies. In a way, it's all irrelevant;

But from another point of view, these details are related to the stability of Hermes's power. If he had the ability, Hermes wouldn't have asked him to do so, and I could have sought him at any time.

But as things stand, this occult spell imposed on Filin by touch is the only resource that has come in handy since the summer. Through it, Hermes could learn as much as he wanted about what was happening in Fort Stag, and he could also get guidance from him.

Firin hesitated, but knew he was going to agree to Hermes's request, and told himself that it was for his loyalty and to strengthen the future of the five principalities, not for the sake of his own mystical spells

Hunger. Filmin looked up at him, "Filmin will do it." ”

"That's how it began. He said. This has undoubtedly shown that people know exactly what is going on in each other's minds. Then, without waiting for Film's answer, he continued directly: "Filmin will try to keep a low profile. "He made a promise.

Filin walked up to him, and he raised a hand to touch Firin's shoulder.

Filming felt Hermes with him again, and had not deliberately walked with him since that day when he had instructed him in his study to protect him.

The weather on the day of departure was good, the air was cold, but the sky was clear blue. Hermes did just as promised.

After discussing his route with Hermes in the morning, as well as arranging supplies and shelters for the towns to pass through, the knights set out quickly, allowing him to travel lightly and swiftly through the territory of the five principalities.

When the crowd saw off Hermes on that cold morning, only Filin was the only one in the crowd who did not say goodbye to him.

He dwelt in Filin's heart like a small, silent seed waiting for spring, as quiet as a night eye, almost imperceptible. Floya stood by the frosty walls of the Queen's Garden and watched them set off.

She had said goodbye to him a little earlier, and had chosen to stay here because if she wept, no one would think it was very indecent.

As she stood beside her, he felt happy for her and felt sorry for her for the fleeting pleasure they had felt for the past week.

The horses, men, pack beasts, and flags finally disappeared from sight over the shoulder of the mountain, sending shivers down the spine of Filin.

She followed him with a very weak intellectual origin, and even so, he still saw Nighteye sit up straight somewhere in his heart, and asked with angry eyes, what is going on?

It's okay, it's nothing to do with people anyway. Filmin added. People will soon hunt together again, Brother Firin, people haven't done that for too long.

A few days after the expedition departed, he almost had his own life again.

Film's initial concern about Borges's departure with Hermes, and although he understood what prompted him to follow the crown prince, their departure made Filmin feel uneasy about his weaknesses being exposed, and also made Filmin feel another side that he didn't want to know.

However, from another point of view, Borges was absent and Hermes was tightly entrenched in Filin's heart, which finally allowed Nighteye and Filin to use their intellectual origin with confidence and boldness. Filin was with it almost every morning, far from Fort Buck.

When people looked for the man to be smelted, he rode the soot on the road, but he was not used to having wolves with him.

After a while, it seemed that fewer people had been smelted, and no one else had come to the area, so that people could finally begin to hunt for themselves;

At this time, the film will hunt on foot, so that they can cooperate with each other.