Malik looked a little funny now, his head exposed to the outside of his armor wrapped in several thick bandages, as if a milky white scarf had been accidentally put on his forehead. I have to say that the captain of the gate guard of Nightingale City is in an extremely bad mood now, and he can even feel the smiles that those young men under his hands cast into their eyes, full of how they have endured and yet shown all the time.

"These damn boys!" Malik cursed inwardly, and then seemed to remember something again. "And that damn fool! For the sake of the Lord God! How much alcohol have you drunk to dare to attack the captain of the city gate!

The idiot he said was of course the culprit of the wound on the top of his head, well, it's not that complicated. Malik, who had been on duty the day before yesterday, went to the tavern with a few friends to have some fun, you know, the position of captain of the gate guard was quite boring. But I didn't expect to meet a drunk, of course, meeting a drunk in Nightingale City is actually not a big deal, but the drunk who dares to attack the captain of the guard is a real big deal.

The drunkard not only struck, but also slammed the bottle on Malik's head, and in the exclamations of the crowd and the blood that flowed from his head, Malik finally understood an unimaginable fact - he was attacked, or in full view!

After that, things were simple, the drunk hapless man was thrown directly into the dungeon by the guards - that was not the place for drunken troublemakers, but who would let him attack the nobles?

Unfortunately, just after a day of vacation, he received a warrant from the magistrate of Nightingale City, because he needed to welcome a big man tomorrow morning, so he, the captain of the gate guard, had to be on duty normally. So, there was this scene this morning.

"Spend the rest of your life in the dungeon, ignorant fool...... Malik thought hatefully, glancing at his men who wanted to laugh but didn't dare to laugh. "What are you doing standing there! Go and lift the bolt at the gate! Haven't you woken up yet?

"Yes, Captain......," several gate guards immediately agreed with a laugh.

Soon, the crowd pulled the iron rope and hoisted a wooden bolt cut from the entire giant tree to the side, and with a series of muffled sounds, the two heavy gates were slowly pushed open by a dozen guards. There was a muffled sound of a winch twisting on the city wall, and the outermost wooden gate of the city gate shook and rose a little, and finally, the morning sun squeezed into the originally dim doorway at the moment when the suspension bridge fell, and with a "boom" sound, one end of the suspension bridge was set on the opposite bank of the moat.

Strictly speaking, the work of the city gate guards was not very hard, except that they had to get up earlier than the others every day, and they could even scrape a considerable layer of oil and water on the merchants who entered the city. When the gates opened, the guards pushed each other and lined up in their positions, while others walked straight out of the city to guide those who had been waiting to enter the city early to the side gates. It's not common for people to do this, but big people always have to have some pomp and etiquette, don't they?

The vice-captain quietly came up. "Captain, do you know which big man is coming to Nightingale today?"

"How do I know?" Malik muttered dissatisfied, "Let those boys be more energetic! Disbanded sooner sooner, for the sake of the Lord God, my head hurts to crack......

That being said, Malik did not dare to show even the slightest slack at this time, and the facts proved how wise he was to do so.

The sun rises little by little overhead, and the city, which has slept all night, gradually returns to its former bustle and hustle. However, the strange behavior at the city gate made many residents living in the surrounding area rush over curiously, and even many merchants and travelers who entered and exited the city gate stopped and stretched their necks to look curiously.

In Malik's eyes, the whole situation seemed to be developing in an increasingly solemn and serious direction, and many big people who had not shown up for a long time, and even with his identity, it was impossible to get close to them appeared here. First, hundreds of well-armored Nightingale garrisons held their shiny spears aloft, separating the main gate from the side gates in a wide open space. In the middle of the clearing, a dark red carpet stretches out from the city gate, forming a majestic walkway, and there are even servants carrying baskets of flowers dotted with colorful petals.

After this, the Sheriff of Nightingale City, the commander of the garrison, the chief internal affairs officer of the Duke's Palace, the chief political officer of the province, and other big people who stood at the peak of power in the western provinces, all came to the end of the red carpet at the city gate, surrounded by their own personal guards, and were ready to greet them.

Malik, who was standing by the city gate, was a little dizzy by the dazzling titles in front of him and the top nobles who were dressed up, and he was extremely glad that he had not been absent from work at home today due to his injuries. But what shocked him even more was that Murich Dvikule, Earl of Fenris, the husband of Eudora, Duke of the West, also arrived at the city gate with his personal guard. Before the nobles could bow to the "titular man" of the Western Province, two tall flag-bearers appeared on the vacant throne beside Murich, along with the entire Duke's guard of honor.

"Knock Knock ......" The stout flagpole smashed twice on the bricks, and at the top of the flagpole squatted a bronze eagle, and on the banner hanging from it below, the same eagle spread its plump wings, like a hook in its claws, and pinched a long sword, which was the family emblem of the Swinston family and the symbol of the Western Province.

For a moment, the sound of bowing and saluting rang out at the city gate, and Malik stiffened up, he could feel a parchment in his mouth, and his heart beating violently seemed to be about to jump out of his chest in the next moment. Not only him, but also the onlookers, were equally shocked, and many had the same question in their minds - who was it who had come to Nightingale City?

Although Eudora did not attend today's welcoming ceremony due to health reasons, she did want to take this opportunity to show her attitude to the other dukes of the provinces, as well as to the royal council and the "regent Donis" in Oak City - in her eyes, the king of Orem was only Soveland, and no one else was possible.

Malik swallowed a mouthful of saliva with difficulty, and without hesitation, he buckled the helmet in his hand directly to his head, to hell with any bandages, any injuries, even if he opened another hole directly above his head now, he would not blink his eyes. He glanced quickly at the boys under him, and the warning in his eyes couldn't have been more obvious - if anyone disgraces me today, get out of here. No, it's better to just die!

Time passed slowly amid the expectant gazes of the onlookers and the whispers of the nobles, and at last, at the end of the main road outside the city gates, where the distorted sunlight intersected with the steaming dust, a group of vague figures gradually appeared, and the people who hurried consciously retreated to both sides of the road, making way for them.

The atmosphere at the city gate instantly tightened, and everyone closed their mouths, just staring curiously into the distance. Gradually, the clear sound of horses' hooves got closer and closer, and a team of more than thirty horses rode slowly in the direction of the city gate. As the cavalry at the head led the horses onto the smooth drawbridge, a desolate roar came from the city walls.

"Respectfully...... Gift!"

"Drink!" The roar of hundreds of guards was accompanied by the sound of the iron boots colliding instantly, as if squeezing the air into the sky, and a huge echo exploded above the city gate, and the unknown crowd of onlookers was suddenly startled, and some timid guys were even directly paralyzed to the ground in fright.

The aristocrats at the end of the red carpet subconsciously straightened their waists, some people know the inside story of the identity of the comer, and some people still don't know it, but whether it is for a show or from the heart, for the noble family with an orderly inheritance, it must not be rude at this moment.

Malik stood in the gate and looked at the vice-captain standing opposite him without squinting, and he could see in the other person's eyes the same nervousness, solemnity, and even the slightest exuberance that he had never felt before. He once felt that he had completely forgotten all the etiquette of the guards, but he did not expect that when there was a chance to appear in front of him only once in his life, those things that he had learned came to his heart together, as clear and abnormal as a knife and an axe.

"When was the last time Nightingale had such a grand welcoming ceremony?" Malik suddenly thought to the strange question, "It must be the time of the Duke's wedding?......" he thought to himself, pressing the long sword on his waist, "I was only a soldier in the garrison back then......"

Malik's thoughts were quickly interrupted, and twenty leading horsemen slowly walked through the city gates, then lined up on either side and stopped their horses at the edge of the rectangular clearing surrounded by the guards. A low exclamation of exclamation, from the commoners and the nobles, spread as they saw dried blood stains on the armor of the cavalry, as well as dents of varying shades. What the hell is going on? This is the question on the minds of many people.

Behind the cavalry, Teresa, the only daughter of the Duke of the West, first appeared in everyone's sight, her gaze was still so cold and arrogant, and after a circle on the faces of the nobles, she stopped at Murich.

"Who the hell is here?......" Malik couldn't help but be curious, and sneaked a glance behind Teresa. For a moment, a cold aura shrank his gaze in fright. "Hell...... I shouldn't be looking......" he said inwardly, immediately tensing up and lowering his head.

In fact, he only saw two young men of the same age, a man with a giant sword and an old man with silver hair...... But the impression that the other party gave him was too deep, and it was not the light that unpretentious clothing could hide - sharp, deep, eye-catching.

Sovereign sat on his horse, and to be honest, he didn't like such occasions, even though he had accompanied his father to countless such solemn ceremonies during Aiden's lifetime, he still couldn't fit in. He still remembers a question he once asked his father when he was young, "Why do those people who have never met smile so kindly at themselves?"

"Because of the halo above your head, my child ......," Aiden said. "When you grow up, you'll understand ......"

Sovereign thought to himself and took a deep breath, he understood a lot now. His eyes were slowly moving, passing through many unfamiliar faces, crowds of onlookers, and provincial nobles, and finally, he saw a relatively "familiar" figure at the end of the red carpet - his "uncle", Count of Fenris, Murich Dwikule.

"Let's hope everything settles down here...... Sovereign whispered, looking at Murich in the distance and nodding with a smile, while the latter, looking at him affectionately, even opening his arms as if to greet a long-lost relative.

Teresa was pleased with the attitude of the "father" and looked back at Essaouiran. Behind them, Tandra also seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, the escape had almost exhausted him, and it was no exaggeration to say that the difficulty of fighting a battle was no more than that. "Lord God, thank you for your protection......" he said silently in his heart, casting his gaze to the ostentatious welcoming ceremony at the end of the red carpet.

Suddenly, the abrupt figure of a nobleman made Tandra stop his horse, and in that sumptuous costume, the man hid his face in the dark hood, but he did not bow his head, but stood there straight. Slowly, the other party faded his hat back, and in the dissipating shadows, Tandra saw the palpitating "black and white eyes" again.

"Do you want to go, my lord!" said Eshkant, lipsing over a long distance, to Tandra.

The blood in his body seemed to freeze instantly. "Hurry up! it's a trap!" Tandra shouted with all his strength, drawing the greatsword behind him.

Soveland, Shaun Sr., Thomas, Kuhl, Teresa, and even Kereni smiling and greeting acquaintances, all froze, as if they were still discerning what Tandra was saying or what was going on.

In the distance, Murich's smile froze on his face, and almost instantly, Count Fenris shouted at the guards in a changing face: "Catch them for me! Catch these bastards pretending to be the crown prince!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Aubrey from the Earl's guard drew his sword and rushed out of the crowd. "What are you doing in a daze! Hurry up and close the gates for me! Everyone! Catch them for me at once!"

The aristocrats who were originally standing at the end of the red carpet were in a mess, and no one knew how a good welcoming ceremony turned into a battlefield for arresting suspects in an instant, and what was even more exaggerated was that no one present except Mulisi had seen what the crown prince looked like. Unlike the flustered aristocratic lords, the garrison of Nightingale City and the guards of Murishi did not need to think about this, it was their duty to obey orders, not to mention that the order to capture came from the "nominal male master" of the Western Province.

After a brief moment of stunnedness, hundreds of guards rushed towards Sovereign and the others, and the onlookers scattered in all directions, crying and fleeing, trying to avoid the approaching soldiers.

"Stop it, are you crazy!Murihi!" Teresa shouted angrily as she grabbed her grumpy warhorse, her eyes spurting with rage.

Mulishi squinted his eyes slightly, as long as some things were done, there was no way to turn back, not to mention, he was also the earl of the Western Province. "Get Miss Teresa under control, she needs to calm down!" he said, rushing towards Sovereign without looking back.

On the other side, Tandra had turned his horse's head and rushed in the direction of the city gate, which would be disastrous if it were closed. "Thomas, Kuhl, take the gates!" said a sword that flew several spears that pierced him.

Old Sean struggled to break through the gate guards who surrounded him. "Hurry up, what are you waiting for!" he shouted back to Sovereign and Peslin.

"Hurry, hurry!" Kereni jumped straight from his horse and forced several guards away with his weapon. He knew that the moment the arrest order was shouted from Murich's mouth, not only Soveran and them, but also the entire Nightingale City, and even the Western Province would be in chaos. But anyone can go, but he must not go, he must stay with Teresa, no matter what happens, he must stay. "Get out, Veran! Get out!"

The urgency of the situation had reached the point where it was too much time to think about it, and the crowd of guards rushed towards him frantically, and Sovereign turned his horse's head and rushed towards the doorway. The dense crowd of gate guards was swooping down on the gate, pulling hard to close it again, and Thomas and Kull, who arrived first, slashed their swords desperately on horseback, jamming the gap that was gradually closing.

At the chaotic gates, Malik saw men galloping on horseback, and the jet-black greatsword. "Stop him, stop him and I'll rise one step higher!" The crazy thought exploded in his mind, and without hesitation, the captain of the guard drew his sword and rushed forward with a roar. What does the ethereal "big man" have to do with himself? Opportunity, as long as you can seize the opportunity, the adults who are high above Nightingale City can let themselves out of the quagmire of guarding the door!

Shaun Sr. and Tandra led the way, with Soviran and Paislin following closely behind. A figure that suddenly popped out blocked Tandra's path, and he remembered that it was the captain of the guard who had stolen a peek at the crowd as he entered the city. "Get out of here!" Tandra shouted angrily, and rode his horse past him with a swing of his sword.

The muffled sound of the armor shattering was accompanied by a burst of blood that exploded in the air, and Malik could not make a sound before he was swept up by the force, knocking down a group of guards and turning into a cold corpse.

At the gates, Thomas was no longer able to fight, and he was pushed out of the gate by Kull and Kereni, who were still fighting the endless guards. There was a "boom", and old Sean and Tandra rode their horses directly into several guards through the narrower and narrower crack in the door. "Quick!Willan!!" shouted Old Sean as he turned his head and shouted inside.

"Damn!" Sovereign kept wielding his sword, cutting down one guard after another who tried to stop him, and he who had been following Teresa became the farthest man from the city gates. His feet kept beating the horse's belly, getting closer and closer, and the gate that was gradually closing not far away seemed to be right in front of him, as if he could rush out and escape in the next moment.

At this moment, the vague figure in front of him suddenly stopped, and a cold arc of light quickly swept towards the front legs of the war horse. Before Sovereign could react, with the neighing of his horse, his body suddenly sank and fell to the ground. Tandra, Old Sean and others outside the door were stunned, as if they had seen the most shocking and terrifying scene, and Kull even stopped his movements directly and let a spear cut his shoulder.

"No! no......" Tandra roared, stretching his arm into the last crack in the gate, and old Sean and Thomas dragged Kuhl out of it, holding back tears. The light outside the city gate poured down from the zenith, and through the narrow gap, all that remained in the eyes of everyone was the hideous guards, the snow-white spearhead, Sovereign who fell to the ground, and the incomparably familiar back with his back to them.

Sovereign struggled to get up on the ground, but was kicked on the chest, but it wasn't the tip of the sword against his throat that really made him give up, but the voice of the sword's owner. "Accident? Actually, you shouldn't be accidental......" In the backlight, Paislin's figure was dark, and the wisps of light shone through his hair, making Soveland's face pale like never before.

With a "bang", the city gate closed again, as if it was not only the hope of life that was cut off, but also the little light left in the hearts of many people.