The girl stood quietly with her eyes closed.

Her pale face was unblemished, and her slightly curly silver hair ran down her shoulders and down to her waist. The form-fitting purple dress locks the waist and arms, knee-length lace-up boots are hidden under the skirt, and a pair of angel-like white wings stretch out from the hollow behind them, gently swaying with the breeze, as if they are about to fly into the sky.

Fleihill reached out and stroked the girl's face, her long eyelashes fluttering, but the eyes never opened until her fingertips left.

She shook her head, picked up her silver-gray hair, put it in front of her mouth, and exhaled softly.

“…… It's almost a year. ”

That was the time since she left her homeland, left the Forest of Tranquility, and finally settled in the Fowl Federation. For the people of Elna, a year is just a moment in life, but the time spent living with former friends is now a little blurry.

"Mistress Fleihill." The voice of the maid came from outside the door, "It's time for the meeting, and the patriarch is waiting for you to pass." ”

"I see."

The footsteps outside the door faded away. Fleihill glanced at the "maiden" sitting quietly on the windowsill before turning around and walking down the hallway to the study on the other side. The maid on the road bowed to her, and she only nodded slightly, thinking about the upcoming discussion.

One of the current senators of the Confederacy, Hames Felton, usually met guests in the lobby, and only those conversations that were inconvenient for "outsiders" to observe were placed in his study. He paid a lot of money to hire the wizards of the Federation to keep the sound out of the outer wall of the room, to prevent detection, and even to block the secret of foreknowledge - eavesdropping to avoid detection, at least in the knowledge she had, was almost a fantasy.

With the introduction of one of her mother's "friends", a few practical occult techniques, some "precipitated" wisdom, and the so-called "forbidden knowledge", she was able to become the chief staff of Felton's side, giving advice to the other party. In the past six months, she has attended more than ninety percent of the other party's talks, both publicly and privately.

Hammis was a brilliant businessman. He has a knack for controlling the pace of the conversation and directing the results in the direction he wants. For Fleihill, watching these negotiations was interesting, and it also gave her a better understanding of the situation within the Federation and even the countries on the continent at this time.

In addition to this, Hammis has met all the demands she has made, and even the resources she needs—even if the research she is conducting so far is not sure that she will succeed.

It's a good employer, Fleihill thought, at least staying here won't be a loss.

The dark red wooden door of the study was unconsciously close in front of me. She shook her head and let her thoughts go, raised her hand and tapped it three times, then pushed the door in.

The room was furnished to her familiarity. Sitting in a high-backed leather chair, behind him hung a portrait of the original Filton senator, a portrait of Hamyes' father, and an oil painting of a castle in the woods. On either side are mahogany bookshelves lined up against the wall, filled with hardcover books and a few bottles of fine wine. The couch used for entertaining guests is empty, and a man in a black robe stands beside his desk, revealing a gentle and slightly handsome face.

"Lord Felton." She walked over to the desk, nodded to the other person, and held out her hand to the middle-aged man, "Fleihill Griffinis." Want something to drink? ”

The black-robed man smiled softly and held out his hand to shake her. Fleihill noticed that the man was holding a silver-covered booklet in his left hand, exuding a powerful and elusive power. A difficult person to deal with, from a wizard's point of view, she thought to herself.

"Thank you, no need." The man looked into her eyes, then turned his gaze to the desk, "Cullen Dahl, who has come with the will of Edda, Lord of Heaven, wants to make a deal with Lord Felton. ”

This was the first time she had met the spokesperson of the gods. Then again, God also talks about business...... Or even bargaining? Fleihill looked at Hamis and saw him tapping his fingertips lightly on the tabletop, his face as calm as ever.

"Tell me about it." The man replied.

"You've probably heard about the Oren Empire." The black-robed man said softly, "Glowlight City will soon become a battlefield. Considering the safety of the Federation merchants, it may be a good choice to suspend the trade with them. He spread his hands, "As for the extra goods that will be made by this, His Highness Istar will be happy to buy them and will pay a good price for them." ”

"Thanks for the reminder." "But as a rule," replied mildly, "it is not up to the senate to decide with whom the merchants choose to do business. What's more, in addition to the pursuit of profit, fame and credibility, it is also a necessary quality for a good businessman. ”

"I've heard that with a 300 percent profit, a merchant would dare to start a war, no matter who the opponent is." Cullen shook his head slowly, as if he was a little regretful, "It seems that the Speaker of the Federation is just an incompetent businessman. ”

Hames narrowed his eyes slightly, and Frey clenched her fists. She knew that men valued the identity of a businessman, and Cullen's words were undoubtedly a provocation. If Hames makes an eviction order, or if the conversation turns into an argument, she must find a way to prevent the situation from spiraling out of control—

After a moment of silence, the man crossed his hands in front of the table and landed his gaze on the table through his fingertips.

"I don't see enough profit." Filton sighed, not looking at Cullen's face at all, "Or are you, as the "spokesman" of the gods, able to come up with something that makes me happy?" ”

"As you think." The black-robed man's voice was vaguely tempting, "I don't know if the speaker is interested in eternal life?" ”

"Is it the same 'eternal youth' as Rogman?" Hammis shook his head and chuckled, "Then I'll forgive you for not being sensitive." ”

"Rogman has too much ambition but not enough intelligence...... And you are different. Cullen looked satisfied and spoke unhurriedly, "To tell the truth, there is no such thing as true eternal life. But our Lord will grant you a life span dozens of times that of ordinary people, and a healthy body and mind at all times. He stroked the booklet in his hand and looked up at Fleihill, "Your Excellency, why did you take in a 'sinner' from Elna, I don't think I need to explain it to you?" ”

Hameis still didn't look up. "A friend asked me to take care of her. What's more, she has never violated any federal law. ”

"I've heard that more than forty years ago, you courted an Erna woman who seemed to be called ...... Islamilah? The black-robed man whispered, "Our lord Edda can bring her back to life and let you spend hundreds of years with her...... As long as that's your wish. ”

Freishiel tensed slightly, and at the same moment, Hammis got up from the table and looked the black-robed man in the eyes.

"You're not a businessman, and you probably don't know what a sunk cost is. The past is long gone, and no matter how much you miss it, you can't do it again. The man curled his index finger and tapped on the table, "Besides, I must say again, there is no 'speaker' in the Federation—I have only one-fourteenth of the say in the policies of the state, the same as any of the senators." ”

Cullen Dahl bowed slightly, his face still as gentle as the warm winter sun.

"I see. In any case, thank you for your meeting, Speaker—or rather, Senator. I'll come back to visit you again when you need me sometime. ”

He straightened up, laid the book in his hand flat, and pressed the silver cover with his right hand. An invisible magic filled the study, instantly sweeping away the exhaustion that Fleihill had accumulated from staying up late to read and conduct experiments a few days ago.

"May the glory of our lord Edda walk forever on the earth."

Cullen turned away, a soft halo enveloping his entire body until the door and wall cut everything off. Frey stared at the other party's back, and although she knew that he had a plan and knew about his past "bad deeds", she couldn't inexplicably feel much disgust.

The former king of the empire, she thought, also trusted the other party because of this?

"Worthy of being the spokesman of the Lord of Heaven, right?" Hamis's smiling voice brought her back to reality, "What do you think, Frey, we should do?" ”

He was right about one thing...... If there is really going to be a war, if the trade with the royal capital is not good, it will become a loss-making business. Fleihill walked across from the man and looked at him with his hands on his chest, "Do you really care that much about credit?" ”

"For businessmen, credit means future benefits. And for this country, a stable Oren Empire can also bring long-term benefits. The Senator of the Federation walked around the table to the map hanging on the side of the bookcase, "War can give us a windfall, and even allow us to profit from many hands...... The problem is that the weapons and supplies we sell may one day end up on us. ”

"Sounds like a coward's excuse...... At least that's what Rutgers Patriarch would say. Frey pouted, "In your opinion, what awaits the Empire is not just a civil war?" ”

Hamis raised his hand and tapped the east and north sides of the map with his pen, "We have two empires. Violet has a history of only more than 200 years, but the dispute over orthodoxy is enough to continue until the fall of the Casper dynasty more than 400 years ago. "Not only that, but I've heard some gossip that the 'ruler' of the church kingdom has been a lot busier lately. ”

At best, Oswald was just planning ahead. They believe in the "Lord of Light" and should not support an invasion. ”

"At worst, you didn't deny the Violet Empire." The man's pen slid west, "As for Elders...... What do you think 'you' will do after being invaded by the Oron Empire? ”

"I'm not an Elders anymore, you already know that." Frey gave the man a blank look, "If you really want to say it...... Galaria is a benevolent king, and she will not allow revenge to happen. ”

"You're right, but what if the queen is gone? Or in places where she can't see — like the things you and your mother have been through. ”

"Those are two different things." Frey frowned, even after half a year, she still didn't want to recall the chaos, "Mother did come into contact with knowledge that was considered taboo, and even if the conservative queen was present, I dare not say that the ending would be any different." She pursed the corners of her lips, "Speaking of which, listen to Cullen, you once pursued her?" ”

Instead of answering immediately, Hammis slowly walked to the other side of the room and took out two glasses from the wine cabinet, as well as a bottle of white wine that was half there. He poured himself half a glass first, then looked up and motioned to the girl.

"What do you want to drink? I've got here—"

"Plain water, if you have one." She interrupted, "So that's why you're taking me in?" Do you want to see me "resurrect" her? ”

"I don't deny it. Islamiel asked you to come to me, probably because she felt that I was one of the few people she could trust—and that was why I didn't want to live up to her expectations. Hammis took a sip of the golden liquor, "But that's only a small part." I value your knowledge and talent more than your mother. ”

"Even forbidden knowledge?"

"I never felt that way. Knowledge is sinless, and I believe you can make good use of it. ”

It's all clichés, but at least it doesn't sound annoying. "So, Speaker." She brushed away the strands of hair on her forehead and turned her head to look at him, "Secret bodies, and artificial souls...... What do you want to do with these? ”

Hammis put down his glass and looked at her seriously for the first time of the day.

"I've read about it." He said, "The body made by the secret art can be maintained for a hundred years, and even if it is damaged by external forces, it can be easily repaired or replaced; And artificial souls ...... If that information is correct, it's made from human souls. ”

"That's what my mother and I are trying to improve." Frey replied coldly, "Unfortunately, we haven't even restored the original part yet. ”

"Once you've recovered those, let me be the next test subject."

Frey stared at his face. "You just rejected Cullen's offer, what are you kidding?"

"It's not a joke. As a Kamal who has a lifespan of only more than 100 years, it is natural to seek longevity. The man touched his chin, "I'm not young anymore, and if you want to be worthy of your mother, you always have to pay a price." ”

"Just a few minutes ago, you gave the exact opposite answer. I can't tell what you're telling the truth. Freishier said emotionlessly, "Tell me the truth, what else do you have planned?" ”

"A strong and easily recyclable soul core; A body that can perform secret arts without learning and can carry various components; the ability to induce and telepathically communicate with each other; Plus obedience to the nature of its maker. Hames shook the cup in his hand and lowered his voice, "They are one of the best armies, just as they were created for the First Age. ”

This was in line with her guess. "You want an army...... Even at the cost of human souls? ”

And eternal life, many people will be happy. And, as you say, it's just a rainy day. I don't know if it's because of the beginning, Hamis's tone is relaxed, "The Federation is rich, but it's not powerful, and it's easy to be coveted." If the other patriarchs do something stupid and let the Empire choose to send troops to us, I don't want to cry or beg for mercy on my knees. ”

"If you have such an army, how can I trust that you won't do something about it?"

"You don't need to believe me." To her surprise, the man gave an answer without hesitation, "The puppet army needs a commander, and the most suitable person is naturally their maker, that is, you and ...... Your mother. ”

It may be a lie, but she can't be sure. "Let me think about it."

"If there's any difficulty, don't worry, just tell me. As for the technical aspects, Quinta might be able to help, he is well versed in soul knowledge. ”

"If you need to." She replied noncommittally, "As for the research, I will do my best without you saying it." ”

Hameis stood up and looked her seriously into the eyes. "That's fine. I can't take care of the entire continent, I just want to protect the Federation from disaster in the coming tide. ”

"You also say you're not the Speaker. I'm sure normal "patriarchs" can't say that. ”

"I'm just the abnormal one, as you can see." Hammis spread his hands, "Alright, there's nothing going on here, go get your hands dirty." ”

Fleihill shrugged his shoulders and turned to leave. She kept her head down in thought all the way, ignoring everyone who greeted her. The patriarch's request seemed logical, and there was no fatal doubt in his words, but she didn't know whether it was good or bad, and whether it was in line with her mother's "life" ...... and her own expectations.

She pushed open the door to the lab, poured herself a glass of water, drank it slowly, and walked over to the woman as a "puppet".

Located below the neck, in the center of the collarbone, an off-white gemstone is set in the woman's skin, faintly reflecting the luster of the outside world. That is the "soul core" of the puppet - unlike the "life box" of the lich, it does not simply seal the soul, but simulates the human brain with an extremely complex arcane structure, and then converts the soul into a "message" suitable for the other party. This avoids the disadvantages of the soul losing its carrier, and the core lives much longer than the human body. More importantly, when the structure of the core and artificial soul is fully explained, the "creation of intelligent life out of thin air" is no longer just a matter of paper.

It's all just a legend from the past. In order to avoid being pursued by the Elna guards, the "Mother" uses immature means to move her soul into the blank puppet. And she spent a whole year, still not resolving the series of conflicts and failures that arose when the soul information was hastily transformed.

She wasn't even sure her mother was alive.

But restoring the production technique of the puppet is indeed her "long-awaiting" wish; And despite only a few years of time together and a busy researcher, Islamiel is still good to her. Even if he is not a Filton veteran, considering the knowledge in the mind of the "mother", repairing the other party is still the first priority at present.

Unless she can find "that person," Frey thought.

"Joey?" She called softly, "Are you there?" ”

The blonde-haired young man slowly appeared on the sofa beside him, raised his right hand at her, and snapped his fingers, "It's always there." ”

"Who came in when I left?"

"The maid who routinely cleaned up. Quinta also came in to take a look, but didn't move anything. The young man was half-reclining, sinking into the soft cloth cushion, "He probably knew I was here." ”

Quinta Tuou again?

The first time she saw each other was half a month ago. It was an unusually tall man, with fiery red hair and arms thicker than her thighs. Frey didn't communicate much with him, but what impressed him the most was the amount of food he ate – at a dinner two weeks ago, he ate half a roast suckling pig, half a sheep, a large pot of seafood offal, and countless breads and pastries.

If he were a powerful warrior, Frey would not hesitate to believe him. But according to Hamis, the expert in the soul—

"What the hell is that guy?" Frey sat down on the sofa across from Joyce and buried herself in the soft backrest – only in the presence of her mother's friend could she relax completely, "I always thought he was dangerous, but I couldn't say why...... He's not a dragon, is he? ”

"No, but it's about far away." The blond-haired youth stretched out an index finger and shook it gently, "He's a fire demon, and he's not a projection." By the way, not many people know about it, so you'd better not talk about it. ”

Hames must know, Frey thought. She'd heard of demons in the Forest of Tranquility — and it seemed to be an excuse for the Empire's invasion of the forest nearly a year ago. Shortly thereafter, the Kingdom of Elders issued a notice announcing that a fire demon was on the run. But who would have thought that it would actually come to the home of the Patriarch of the Federation and become a guest in a dignified manner.

"Looks like I don't know you well enough, Lord Felton." The girl whispered to herself, "How many secrets do you have?" ”

"Adults always have secrets." The young man yawned and changed to a more comfortable position, "My eldest lady, do you have it?" ”

That's nature. The girl thought for a moment and decided to tell him a small part.

"Joey, you've heard of a...... Is it someone called "Luo Zhen"? I'm looking for him. ”

The young man turned his face and winked at her.

"Of course...... No. Never. ”