He said that, but Filin knew in his heart that there was no time at all, because he had too many things to take care of. As always, he immediately fell into his own worries.

"The one who is smelted. He said. A sense of foreboding rushed down Film's spine.

"The Red Ship is coming again, in the midst of such a cold winter?" asked Film, incredulous.

"Nope. At least for now, people are still spared. But even if the Red Boat robbers let people go back to their warm and comfortable homes, the scourge will still be there. He paused, "Okay, let's go over, get warm, and eat something, you can listen while you eat." ”

As he enjoyed the sweet wine and food, Hermes seemed to be speaking to Film. "It's been a long-standing problem. Reports of the smelters indicate that they not only looted and plundered the travellers' belongings, but also invaded remote farms and houses.

Filming had investigated, and had to believe the reports, but the attacks were far from any previous raids, and each time people claimed to have seen not just one or two people being smelted, but a group of people moving in groups. ”

Fei Lin thought for a while, swallowed the food in his mouth, and then said, "Fei Lin doesn't think that people who are smelted can act like partners in groups. When people meet them, they don't feel like they have ...... A sense of community, that is, a common humanity.

And what they say and what they calculate, they are only for themselves.

According to humans, they are nothing more than a pack of wolverines who are concerned only with their own survival, and see each other as rivals for food and warmth. ”

Filin poured the wine into his glass again, grateful for the warmth it radiated.

At least it drove the chill away from Firin, but the bleak thoughts of the smelter's desolate isolation remained.

It was the source of intelligence that allowed Filmin to discover this trait of the smelted. They had no idea of kinship in the world, and it was almost impossible for Filin to feel them.

The origin of intelligence is in the hands of Film, holding back the threads that intertwine all living things. But the smelted are detached from these connections, isolated like stones, like inadvertent blizzards and overflowing rivers, hungry and ruthless.

But Hermes only nodded thoughtfully: "But even animals like wolves attack in groups, just as teardrop fish attack whales."

If these animals can unite to crush their prey, why can't the people who are being smelted?"

Filmin put down the bread he had picked up earlier. "Wolves and teardrop fish act by nature, they share meat with their children, not for themselves, but for the whole.

And the smelters that Filmin saw were in groups, but they did not act together.

When he was attacked by several of the smelted men, he thought that he could only save himself by pitting them against each other, so he dropped the cloak they wanted and had them fight each other over it.

Later, when they hunt down Filmin again, the group interferes with each other rather than helping each other. ”

The painful memories of that night came back to his mind, and he could only struggle to stabilize his tone.

The blacksmith died that night, and Filin was killed for the first time in his life. "But they didn't fight together, and that's what the smelted didn't understand - the power of unity. ”

Fihrin looked up at Hermes, his deep eyes full of sympathy. "Filin forgot that you had any experience against them, forgive Filin.

Filmin doesn't deny what you're saying, it's just that there's been a lot of trouble lately. His voice drifted away, and it looked like he was listening to a voice in the distance. After a while, he came to his senses.

"Well, you believe they can't cooperate, but now it seems that they are really united this time. Look, here. His hand flickered over a map spread out on the table.

"I've marked the places where the grievances have arisen and, according to them, have tracked down how many places have been invaded by the smelters. What do you think?"

Filin walked over and stood beside him. Standing beside Hermes was like standing next to a non-Film, and the power of arcane spells emanated from him.

And Filin wondered if he was trying to restrain himself, and if the arcane spell threatened him to leak from Firin, and thus spread his consciousness throughout the kingdom.

"Look at this map, Kaz. He thought of Film, and he wondered how much he knew about Film's thoughts, but Filmin still forced himself to focus on the task at hand.

The map depicts the structure of all parts of Fort Stag in great detail, with shoals and tidal moors marked along the coast, and inland road signs and trails clearly visible.

This is a map made with care, by a man who once trekked through the mountains and rivers here. Hermes marked it with some red wax, and he looked at it carefully, trying to see what he really cared about.

"Seven individual incidents," he said, "some of them happened on the day of the ride to and from Fort Stag, but the people were not attacked at such close range, so where did these smelted men come from?"

Maybe they were really expelled from their homes, but why did they gather towards Fort Stag?"

"Maybe these people are desperate and have to pretend to be smelted people to rob their neighbors?"

"Perhaps, but the location of these incidents is getting closer and closer to Fort Buck, which has to be worrying. According to the victim description, there are three different groups. But every time there were reports of looting, breaking into farms, or killing cattle and sheep, and the group that committed the crime seemed to be getting closer to Fort Stag, he couldn't figure out why the smelted people were doing it.

And ......" Just as he was about to speak, he motioned for Filin to stop.

"The description of one of the groups matches an attack a month ago. If it had been done by the same group of people who had been smelted, they would have come a long way. ”

"It doesn't look like a smelted person. Filming said, then cautiously asked, "Do you suspect that this is some kind of conspiracy?"

Hermes snorted bitterly. "Of course, when did he stop suspecting the conspiracy?, but the matter, at least according to Flynn, could be found outside of Fort Stag. He paused suddenly, as if to hear his own bluntness. "Check it out for him, okay, Kaz, ride out and see what the people have to say. Tell Filmmaker what the people said in the tavern and what clues they found on the road. Gathering gossip about other attacks and tracking down every detail had to be done quietly. Can you do this for Film?"

"Of course, but why be quiet? If people warn people, they can find out what is going on more quickly. ”

"People will hear more, yes, but there will only be more rumors and more complaints.

So far, these events have been individual grievances, and Filmin thinks that Filmin may be the only one who has strung together these individual events into a pattern. Fihrin did not want a riot at Fort Buck itself, nor did he want the people to complain that the king could not even defend his capital. No. Quietly, Kaz, must be quietly. ”

"Quietly visit. Filin made his tone sound less like he was asking.

Hermes shrugged his broad shoulders slightly, as if to shift the burden rather than unload it. "Stop these kinds of incidents as much as possible. He whispered and stared at the fire. "Quietly, Kaz, it must be done quietly. ”

Verse 37: Responsibility in the pack

Fei Lin nodded slowly, just because he had done this kind of errand before. For me, killing someone who is being smelted is no different from killing anyone, and sometimes Filin tries to pretend that he is letting restless souls rest and ending excruciating pain for a family. Fihrin wished he hadn't become too self-conscious, a luxury that the Assassins could not afford.

Etro warned him to always remember who he really was: not an angel of mercy, but an assassin acting for the good of the king or crown prince, and it was his duty to defend the throne.

Film's duties. Fei Lin hesitated for a moment, then spoke: "Your Royal Highness." When Filin returned, he saw Princess Floya and Her Majesty on horseback together. ”

"They look compatible, don't they? does she ride steadily?" Hermes couldn't hide the bitterness in his tone.

"yes, but it's still the same mountain style. ”

She came to Filin and said that she wanted to learn how to ride the tall lowland horses of the people, and he agreed, but did not know that she would seek His Majesty as a master horseman. Hermes leaned over the map, looking at the details that weren't there.

"Maybe she wants you to teach her. Filin said thoughtfully, treating him as an ordinary person, not a prince.

"Perhaps!" he sighed suddenly.

Oh, he knew she wanted to. Floya is lonely sometimes, I should say lonely. ”

He shook his head and said, "She should marry a young man, or marry into a kingdom where there are no wars and disasters."

I'm not doing her justice, Kaz. Filin knew this, but she was ...... at times Very childish.

When she's not so childish, she's a fervent patriot. She burns herself to sacrifice for the Five Duchies, and Filin has to stop her, telling her that this is not what the Five Duchies need.

She's like a nasty guy who keeps getting Filin in trouble, Kaz. She's either frolicking like a naughty child, or she's constantly asking questions about the crisis that Filmin has put aside for the time being. ”

Filming suddenly remembered Silverglow's single-minded pursuit of the boring Starlight, and he got a glimpse of his motives, which was that he wanted to find a woman who would allow him to escape from reality.

If Hermes could choose, what kind of woman would he choose?

Perhaps a gentle woman who is older, has an inner self-worth and serene qualities.

"Filmin grew tired of it. Hermes said softly, poured himself a glass of sweet wine, and went to the fireplace to sip it. "Do you know what Filmin is looking forward to?"