After discussing with the villagers the situation of the report to the chincha, Rodhart and Asa went to the cabin where the chincha was being held and met with the minister.

"Knight Rodhart greets you, my lord. As soon as he entered the room, Rodhart performed the courtesy of a knight on his knees, and his tone was also subdued, as if he were singing.

The minister is a middle-aged man with fair skin and neat appearance, rich and noble, and he knows that he is a nobleman at a glance. Asa of this appearance was common at night in the royal capital, usually with a woman or a man in his arms, and sometimes in turn he was carried on his arms in and out of the luxurious carriage, in and out of the brightly lit courtyard of the mansion. This kind of person usually has a characteristic, even if his hands and feet are on the woman, and his expression is usually one of integrity in the performance of state duties.

And now this minister is even more pious. He was kneeling in the middle of the hut praying with his eyes closed. It seemed that the status of the captive did not panic him much, and his clothes were still neat, and his demeanor was solemn, as if he were in a luxurious cathedral. He did not react in any way to Rodhart's words, still focusing on prayer with his eyes closed. And Rodhart knelt there and didn't move. Asa stood in the doorway, looking at them inexplicably.

Finally, the minister slowly opened his eyes, as if he had finished praying.

"We're here to get your Excellency out. Rodhart said on his knees. He had been completely impressed by the magnanimity of this adult. Being able to be so calm and pray so sincerely in such an environment shows how firm the faith in his heart is and how extraordinary his strength is. It is indeed the demeanor of a big man.

"I know. The Chancellor looked at the kneeling Rodhart with compassion like a master of prophecy in his hands. "As a servant of God, I have always believed that I will not be harmed in any way by those lowly bandits. God will surely come to save those who believe in Him. ”

He got up and walked over to pick up Rodhart and said, "This knight, you have come here by divine guidance. You must be a man with an infinite sense of justice, and a man of great devotion to God, right?"

Rodhart nodded hurriedly: "Yes." I am ready to dedicate my life to light and justice. ”

"How's the situation out there, have you eliminated those bandits?" the minister looked at him with a heroic look of approval.

"Here's the thing......" Rodhart was very excited and embarrassed by the attention of the minister. "Those are not bandits, they are ....."

After listening to Rodhart's statement, the minister was a little surprised, but after thinking about it, his face quickly calmed down, nodded and said, "Okay, everything you said, I will definitely investigate and deal with it when I return to the city." ”

"Thank you, Your Excellency. You are as noble as a messenger of God in the eyes of the common people. Rodhart was so grateful that he almost cried.

"That's natural. The minister nodded gracefully, taking the compliment with great poise. "As a messenger of His Majesty and a servant of God, I naturally want to do justice with all my might. As I made my rounds around, I showed no mercy to the blasphemous heretics and the bandits who disturbed the peace of the Empire. But if devout believers and law-abiding citizens are wronged, I must also give them justice. ”

"You're amazing. "Rodhart felt like he had found his idol. "I'll escort you back to the city. ”

The minister nodded as if he was agreeing to a request. Rodhart immediately bent over and escorted him out of the cabin where he was being held. From beginning to end, the minister did not glance at Asa beside him.

Outside the house, I saw the minister come out, and all the villagers came over collectively to give the minister a half-kneeling salute. This was strongly recommended by Rodhart, and the villagers were very respectful when they thought that they would be able to return home safely and continue their lives.

The minister nodded with a posture and momentum that was very in line with his identity, and smiled as if he was gracious.

Rodhart had already brought his horse and prepared it, and asked the minister to mount and sit down, and he would lead him in front and escort him back to the city.

All the villagers stood together and watched Rodhart and the minister walk away, thinking of the smile of that gift, probably their wish was very promising, and they couldn't help but be a little excited. They also think that this minister is probably really a good person, and people who have studied a lot of knowledge probably do have a very benevolent heart.

For Asa, the matter was completely inexplicable from beginning to end. Fortunately, the matter has been settled, and now there are people here who are familiar with the forest. He first found Levine, the hunter, who was probably the most familiar with the forest. But after listening to his question, Hunter Levine shook his head blankly.

Asa was almost desperate. A futile anger arose in his heart. If Chrissy appeared in front of him now, he would have beaten her with two punches and bruised both eyes, and then scolded her, even if you didn't understand, and if you didn't know how to pretend to understand, it would make a mess.

The point is that she still has the book in her hand and follows the caravan designated by his father and doesn't know where to go, and she can't even find someone to translate it again. Thinking of this, I remembered that I was frightened by the dozen or so silver coins, and I couldn't help but regret it. If I hadn't been in such a hurry at the time, I would have looked it up more in the library, and maybe there would have been some clues.

The greed for money is the first of all evils. He remembered a complaint from an old pastor in his hometown. He has a bit of a weird sense of identity now.

"There's only a forest of turnarounds, no forest of what you say. A voice that was not very inaudible said beside him, and Asa turned his head to look at the old man who claimed to have never seen justice in his life.

The old man's toothless mouth made a leaky sound: "There is a forest in the southern depths of this forest, which is the Huitou Forest. When people look at it, they want to turn back, and there is no forest to talk to. ”

Levine, the hunter, seemed to be reminded, nodded and said, "Yes, I remember, there is a strange wood, and even wild beasts don't run into it, so I haven't entered it." But lately it seems that the soldiers of the city have often used the meadow outside the forest as a graveyard, and I sometimes see them burying their bodies there. ”

"What kind of forest is that?" Asa asked, feeling a little bit of a clue. "Why do you want to turn back when you see it? Why didn't I hear about it when I was in the city?"

Hunter Levine shook his head and said, "That forest doesn't feel very comfortable, and the locals don't like to be near it." And that forest .... Feel.... It feels like..."He frowned, searching hard for a suitable metaphor in his head, only to shake his head, probably because of the level, but still couldn't find the right embellishment. "Like what.... , in short, it's strange, I don't even want to think about it. He suddenly perked up. "By the way, it's like a very annoying person, and you can't do anything about him, so you don't even want to think about it. ”

Asa frowned and repeated his words: "Like a nasty person, don't think about it?" This metaphor of the forest is hard to grasp.

"Well.... That feels like .....," Hunter Levine frowned again, pondering in his barren vocabulary, trying to find a new metaphor to embellish. Asa was afraid that the more he compared him, the more difficult it would become, so he hurriedly said, "It doesn't matter what it is, just ask you to take me there tomorrow." ”

"Big Brother Rhodes is back. "There were little kids shouting outside. The villagers ran out to hear what he had brought back from the city.

Rodhart was surrounded among the people, and like a child who had seen the victory in the village and had come back to report it, he was full of joy and could not wait to cry out to everyone: "Lord Chincha has said that we should all assemble in the meadow on the east side of the forest at noon to-morrow." He will come with the magistrate and publicly announce a pardon for everyone's actions and a waiver of our taxes. ”

The crowd erupted in cheers.

"I said there is justice in this world, how about it? everybody believes it?" Rodhart looked around, happily proclaiming the triumph of his faith, and everyone was intoxicated with their own joy, and no one cared what he said.

But the old man who spoke to Asa did not appear to be pleased, and he heard Rodhart very clearly. He shook his head, as if to say to himself, "I have lived seventy years and have never seen anything like it." Turning to Asa and emphasizing, "Seventy years old. Asa nodded hurriedly.

"The Lost Forest is right there. The old man said to Asa. His words were indistinct, and he was a little speechless, as if a fortune teller was explaining an ominous divination.