The first trumpet sounded in the middle of the night. Pen × fun × Pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 ｉｎｆｏ

Nina couldn't remember how many times she woke up tonight, or if she hadn't closed her eyes at all. The husband did not come to bed in the bedroom, and this was the third time since Hornburg was established. Only three times, she remembers it very clearly. The first was when Uruk's envoys visited the northern city for the first time and brought with them the letterhead of their lord's recognition of the territory, a fact that had already been recognized by the other territories before then; the second was when her husband was discussing the border with Elidu on behalf of Assyria, and the three lords gathered in the northern city that day, and they quarreled all night in the main hall, and she listened in the side hall and then fell asleep; and the third time was that the previous week, after the matters of the southern expedition had been settled, he, Sercy, and Mike had drunk in the study in order to celebrate.

She believed in her husband all the time, and never did anything to be sorry for her, until he confessed to himself that Sonny was born to him and Mira Kelline. His reasoning was so convincing that even the god Namu could not refute it, and she eventually chose to compromise and prayed to God all the time that her husband's heart was still with her.

But what about the truth? She just felt that her tears were a little salty.

Fortunately, they also have a son, and their only child. From the day he was born, he was loved, he inherited her husband's honey-colored eyes, and her chestnut hair, and she felt as if she was living in a dream in those days when she first became a mother. "Kenny, we have a baby, is that true? Quick, tell me!" she asked her husband countless times. And her husband smiled and nodded at her every time.

She watched him grow up day by day, from sucking breast milk to devouring bread, from babbling to being able to call her mother later, and she still remembers the sweet taste of tears when he first called her "mother".

She stood in her son's study countless times, looking out the window at the martial arts training ground. He trained with the children of the nobles, his husband's personal soldiers were very strict, as was his Uncle Mike, and so was the master of swordsmanship named Linde, but even though he was the future lord of the North City, he still worked harder than anyone else.

Time seemed to fly by, and now he was seventeen. At last year's name-day tournament, he rode a black warhorse, dressed in silver armor, and held a spear, knocking over more than 20 of his peers, and finally put the crowning of the champion on her head. Not a single one objected, and the people of Northtown seemed to know that the lord's son was unrivaled among his peers. It was also on that day that he was anointed with holy oil at the temple and became a true knight.

Gradually, it started to get noisy outside the window. Nina lifted the blanket and walked to the window wearing only a light silk nightgown. Leaning down, all the braziers were lit, and Hornburg was as bright as day. Groups of guards weaved back and forth through the bluestone-paved avenues and paths: some holding maps, others armoured and swords, some led horses, and some held crows.

Farther away, soldiers stood on horse-drawn wagons, carrying bags of potatoes, buckets of butter, and bundles of arrows with freshly feathered feathers upward. She also heard the sound of striking iron, which seemed to be being spent the last of their time repairing their spears, knocking out the dents in their armor, and throwing the chainmail into a bucket and rolling along the uneven ground to rub them clean.

Crows were constantly flying high in the sky, and crows from afar were flying into the watchtower, where there were guards who received letters, and there were scholars who wrote letters, and the whole of Fort Horn seemed to be busy, and it was still some time before dawn broke.

So, she closed the window, called the maids, and ordered them to fetch water and freshen up for her, while she went to the closet and chose the right clothes and jewelry. She had already experienced such scenes, especially during the year of the Holy War, when she stood on the walls of the city of Karta countless times, watched her husband and the coalition army go away, and prayed for their triumph.

But today it doesn't seem to be quite the same. At first, she thought it was about eighteen years of peace, but when the maid helped her to put on her hair and clothes and jewelry, she realized that she prayed for her son more than her husband in her heart.

When the second horn sounded, she found her son in the castle's largest dining room. He sat at the bottom like all the knights, while on the high platform sat her husband and the other lords of the five realms, and he was intently discussing something with Camille and Kane.

Nina wanted to rush over and kiss her son's handsome eyebrows, and hold him tightly, just like she did when she was younger, and never let him be hurt in the slightest..... However, in front of so many knights, she could not do that. Right now, her son and husband are playing the role of men, and she can't say anything that takes away their rights. So she allowed herself to stand in front of her son, kissed him lightly on the forehead, and then walked lightly down the hall, leaving behind the intoxicating scent of cloves.

The people on the high platform saluted her one by one, because from the moment they stepped into the northern city, they were already part of the Alliance Army. "May the god Namu bless you, the future is difficult and the war is cruel, but victory will favor justice. She uttered the familiar words and sat down away from her husband.

For breakfast she had eaten only a little bread and corn soup, and the whole hall was filled with the best knights and commanders from the continent, and no one had drunk this morning, but the atmosphere was as strong as New Year's, as if they were not going on a southern expedition, but a hunting companion in the Far North.

"Be quiet, be quiet!" After the meal, the husband stood up from his chair, his resolute gaze swept across the hall, and his voice was as thick as a bell during the Holy War, "Thank you for joining us, I'm Kenny Dalton, Lord of the North City." Eighteen years ago, I defeated the First Continent, the city of Karta, which had been guarded by the Dalton family for generations. After fleeing to Sumer, thanks to the help of the lords, the current northern city was established, and now, I want to use your power to take back what belongs to the Dalton family!"

At the same time, hundreds of servants appeared in the hall, carrying wine glasses and flasks, shuttling through the crowd. "I swear to the god Namu with the Dalton wolf pattern!" the husband held the wine glass, and old John poured wine beside him, "On the day of triumph, I will return all the gold, silver, crowns, and glory to the knights of the bloody field, and I will dedicate all the territories and castles except Karta to the lords who lend my strength today, and I will give all the honor to you, and may the gods be with us!"

"May the gods be with us!" shouted the crowd.

The sound was enough to shock the gods. Nina thought. She drank a glass with thousands of unfamiliar faces, but her gaze stomped through the crowd, always staying on her son.

In the time that followed, the lords of the major territories all stood up to speak, mostly to encourage the knights and soldiers of their own territories. After everyone had finished speaking, the first rays of sunlight passed through the doorways and windows, and people comforted each other in the excitement and fear before the battle.

The third horn sounded, long and loud.

Once again, she stood on the rampart, watching her husband and son go away, until her vision blurred. The taste of tears this time is so bitter.