Today is destined to be a sleepless night.

The sudden battle of the Ascension in the afternoon, and the ensuing first massive thunderstorm of early summer, sent trembling to the hearts of everyone from Viscount Grant to the most ordinary port dwellers.

Half of the night was flooded with bright light by thunder and lightning, and even though all the inhabitants knew that the storm would not come again so soon, the sensitive nerves of the Southerners kept them awake.

The same is true of Elder Pudd.

Harrison Port, Elders' Hall, in the second-floor office, the old man stared out the window at the night rain and clouds, Elan breathed softly in his arms, already asleep.

The head of the young boy of the White People pressed down on Pud's beard, and he did not move away, but turned his head sideways, counting the thunder light that illuminated the dark curtain that shrouded the world again and again.

In the flickering light, he gradually fell into a daze.

Pude Chehalorvo, a former member of the Chehalorvo family, is the child of one of the Thirteen Elders.

He spent his childhood in the care of powerful families, and as a teenager he was alienated from his peers because he had no father. Dwarven hybrids are not discriminated against by the family themselves, but only for the simplest reason - he has a big beard when he was a child, and his low stature does not continue to grow taller when everyone is growing.

If it is different, it is abnormal, the estrangement and ridicule between children is so simple, if it is not for the strict rules of the white people, bullying is also a normal thing.

He's different from the others.

Pud knew this, and accepted it, although he did not inherit the blood of the mountain people in the true sense of the word, but he had the advantage of the other party's tenacity and composure, or rather, rough nerves.

Pud was well aware of his misfits, and he didn't care about the little things.

His parents ignited a spark of love because of a thrilling adventure, but they were separated by the distance between the empire and Gantrigham, his mother did not remarry but focused on the study of ruins, and his father seems to have disappeared in an underground adventure, presumably in the arms of the earth.

The position of elder is not inherited by blood, and the number of elders is not fixed, but is based on the achievements of family members in various industries.

He was just an ordinary white citizen, keen on adventure, and coupled with the family's vague estrangement from him, he simply went out with the family's exploration team, exploring large and small regions of the land - he never tired of it, this is probably the best place for his parents' blood to merge.

There's nothing wrong with that, the competition within the family has nothing to do with you, and you don't need to worry about power politics, if you can venture and explore like this, until you die in the earth like your father, maybe it will also be a good ending.

Until that day comes.

Lightning flashed by the dark window, and the old man's eyes seemed to flash fragments of the past.

At that time, it was also such a dark and rainy night, the imperial capital lightning and thunder, and the stargazing tower in the sky merged the lightning into its top, releasing a spiritual energy field that calmed the wind and rain.

He was returning from a distant expedition, and no one came to greet him, which was no longer normal - his mother was obsessed with the ruins of a pre-era civilization under several large labyrinths, and every day except for sleep, she sorted out data, analyzed data, and even needed the help of attendants to bring food to her mouth.

But this time, when he opened the door, he unexpectedly heard his mother's excited call, which was unprecedented, surging joy from the heart, and the congratulations and cheers from the communicator made Pude somewhat understand that the family should have broken the key to a large group of ruins, and could penetrate into the core of the labyrinth to seek the truth and legacy therein.

This is what led to the rise of the Chehalorvo family, who are experts in labyrinths, seekers of ruins, and behind them are the Gnosis Academy, the Royal Alchemy Society, and the Stargazing Tower, which is also secretly facilitated by the Imperial military.

Even the supreme 'pioneer' Inaga the Great, who led the empire to the height of prosperity, was very concerned about the progress of their research and generously donated a lot of resources.

With so many expectations on your shoulder, and finally succeeding, it's no surprise that you should be so cheering.

"Your Majesty will definitely like it!"

At that moment, Pud heard his mother say to herself: "Eternal life—this is the beginning of eternal life!" ”

Eternal life......

In the blink of an eye, the aging Elder Bai Zhimin came back from his trance, he withdrew his gaze from the night rain, and gently stroked the back of the young child of Bai Zhimin in his arms.

The old man was very gentle, as if he was afraid that his rough hands would wake him up...... Haha, when he was young, he didn't understand why his mother and everyone were so excited about this word, but now that he is old, he understands a little.

"Eternal ......"

He muttered to himself, chewing on the word, "What the hell...... What kind of eternal life? ”

"He clearly said that he would dedicate it to His Majesty as a congratulatory gift for his great birthday, but he was rebuked by His Majesty in anger as the most evil, a mistake within a mistake, and an unforgivable sin."

"And why did the family and the mother willingly confess their sins and be swept away and banished without the slightest resistance?"

Although it was impossible for anyone to resist His Majesty's majesty at that time, and it was even more impossible to resist, it was a confession from the heart...... That's another story.

Pude closed his eyes tiredly: "That merciful Majesty, why did you have to execute almost all the sublimators in our family, and the elders were not spared, even if they were just ordinary people......"

"We ...... What exactly did you go wrong? ”

All these memories echoed in his ears again and again, and his mother's words echoed with thunder in the subsequent correspondence.

This is the secret of eternal life! 】

【Us...... You can't be greedy, you can't monopolize, this is a congratulatory gift that should be given to Your Majesty! 】

[If it is a person like Your Majesty, if it is a saint like Your Majesty, you can live forever......]

Echo.

The echoes of the past echo in my ears.

Until the rainstorm gradually decreases, and the thunder gradually stops.

Pude is just Pude now.

Elder Pud of Port Harrison.

The exiles who have no surname, those who are not allowed to explore the past, those who have lost all glory.

"Ian, if you really are a disciple of that one...... If you were a true prophet. ”

The old man closed his eyes and said to himself tiredly, "Can you find the answer?" ”

The stars and moon gradually dimmed.

The dawn rose quietly.

Pudde, who was sleeping with his eyes closed, was awakened by a sudden knock on the door.

Even Elan in his arms woke up because of this, raised his hand and rubbed his eyes.

Although he didn't react at first, Pudde's heart suddenly began to beat violently, he could hear the owner of the footsteps, and he knew who the other party was.

He's really back...... His steps were steady, he didn't seem to be injured, and he returned smoothly and safely.

"Come in." Suppressing his excitement, Elder Pudder spoke.

So I opened the door and came in.