2.71 The spring in the southern continent is already hot and dry, at 5:30 p.m., the heat that has been accumulated for the day is gradually dissipating, the north wind blowing from the endless sea of sand brings rare coolness to the golden city, in the courtyard of the shadow of the trees of the Harimaya Manor, a grand celebration banquet has just begun. A large round table that can accommodate 100 people at a time is filled with noble guests, exquisite dishes are served by the manservants, and in the center of the round table is a dance floor, the sun sets to illuminate the center of the dance floor, and a small band of five is playing a cheerful waltz.

Contrary to all these congenial and beautiful things is the oppressive atmosphere of the banquet. Prince Harimaya, who was pale-faced, sat upright in his armchair, he didn't speak, and no one dared to raise his glass and say a word of blessing, and the nearly 100 guests could only sit honestly in their seats, watching the fragrant dishes slowly turn cold. At this banquet "Son of Amir ibn Shaqqar, Prince of Harimaya, nephew of the wise, upright and brave King Isaibaink, mayor of Marakanda, president of the Namoza Trade Route Association, and the only royal inspector of the north-western province Du ibn Shaqqar" Knowingly, he did not attend, and the distinguished guests who supported Governor Herzemias certainly did not show up, this was supposed to belong to the royalist victory dinner, but a bold sneak attack that happened under his nose made the prince lose face, although the new baron was unharmed, but at this time the old prince's heart was like 10,000 sandworms galloping across the country, and he was eager to cut the head of the manor guard into pieces on the spot and feed them to the dogs to vent his anger. But in front of the two protagonists of the banquet, Emile Shakar could only hold back his anger, and his right hand holding the wine glass could not help but tremble slightly.

Jonah and Assay sat at the old prince's right hand, and the Oriental looked at the food on the plate, and asked quietly, "When will you be able to eat?" You have been invited to the royal dinner at seven o'clock, but I must find a way to fill my stomach...... This plate of bromeliad sour chili roast has missed the perfect time to taste it, and the tender and juicy veal is getting cold by the minute, and the hot gravy is congealing into disgusting white grease...... W-This is a crime!"

The third-level astrologer lowered his head and showed a helpless expression: "The prince said that he must wait for the captain of the garrison of the Golden City to come to the door to apologize, who knows when this chief will be able to arrive at the manor......"

Ah Sai secretly stretched out two fingers to the barbecue on the plate, "Although in our Oriental dinner, the elder must use the chopsticks first to start, but compared to the big crime of spoiling food, I still slightly violated the ancestral precepts...... Just eat a small piece, a small piece ......"

Jonah slapped the Oriental man's hand back: "Don't make trouble, a lot of people are watching us." ”

This incomparably large round table is actually a ring, and across the small dance floor, dozens of bored guests are secretly observing the winner of the royal samurai selection, the new celebrity who has been added to the blue eyes of His Majesty the Emperor. Several of the ladies stared at Asai with interest, commenting on the Oriental's looks, figures, and maverick braids, and of course, several of the younger aristocratic ladies were more interested in Jonah, and in a few minutes they had thrown a considerable number of winks that the astrologers did not dare to look in that direction.

Asey's affection for food reminded Jonah of a man who couldn't be said to be an enemy or a friend, Chop, the captain of the Golden Hammer Legion of the Zavi Empire and the Dragon Knight of the Golden Land. It seems that the men who like food are optimistic and easy-going optimists who like to smile, and if you want to say the difference between the two, Chopper is a trustworthy warrior with strong beliefs, while this guy from the East is an unreliable man who is curious about everything and does things a little off the line.

As if hearing the voice of the young man next to him, Ah Sai, whose mouth was full of stuff, raised his head: "What?"

"What, I didn't speak?" Jonah wouldn't admit his slander, of course, for he didn't believe that mysterious Orientals could be so mysterious as to listen to others.

"Oh, that's my rough listening. Asai said indistinctly, swallowing a large mouthful of roast meat with difficulty, and took half a glass of sparkling wine while the prince was not paying attention. The manservant behind him immediately came over to help him refill the golden wine, and thoughtfully removed the half-eaten appetizer and replaced it with a new plate of steaming pineapple sour chili barbecue.

“...... If it's hot, don't say it early...... "The Oriental man chewed and chewed the cold beef in his mouth into a coarse fiber cake, swallowed it, spit it out, and looked up at Jonah with a grudge, "It's all your fault, why are you so fond of bad people because of the rats, and you can count how many fights you have fought after staying with you for a few days." ”

"I didn't choose it myself!" Jonah was a little angry at the thought of this, "Either you go by yourself, why don't you come with me." ”

Asai glanced at him: "Cut, there is a hereditary baron secretly protected by a great swordsman, so a fool won't act with you." Then again, when are we going to leave for the Vedic kingdom?"

While the two were chatting, there was a commotion from the direction of the manor's gate, and it was not long before three fast horses galloped over the green meadows, and reined in the reins a hundred paces from the courtyard, and the three men dismounted, and trotted to the banquet table, and the officer who knelt down before the prince and saluted before the prince accompanied by two light knights was said to be Major Samus Sardis, the captain of the Bactrian garrison, a man with an ill-fated fate. Next to Ah Sai sat a mouthful Imperial Count, who had been explaining the political situation and character profiles of the Golden City in the awkward lingua franca of the Western Continent since just now, and whether the audience liked it or not, the interest in the lecture remained undiminished. According to him, this Major Sardis is a civilian hero who has grown up as a grassroots swordsman, without any background background and does not lean towards any political power, so he can serve as the sensitive official position of captain of the Imperial City Garrison, but since taking office, he has been in the political struggle between His Majesty the Emperor and Herzemias, and has become a common buffer and punching bag. The attack on the Harimaya Manor would have been a bit unjust for this man, but the prince couldn't seem to find a better step.

"Prince, Duke, Duke, Duke......" with two moustaches, Major Sardis, who looked a bit like the uncle next door, knelt on the ground and greeted respectfully, he was not stammering, because among the many big people here, there were only five dukes, and there were countless counts and below, Prince Harimaya's face was second to none in the Golden City, everyone knew that the prince was the closest person to His Majesty the Emperor, and most of the nobles were as prepared as Jonah to rush to the two fields, first come to the manor for a breakfast and dinner, and then go to the palace for a dinner dinner, how close and close it is, beneficial and harmless.

Jonah and Assay were not in political circles, and they hadn't listened carefully to the introduction just now, but now they saw the old prince scolding the captain of the garrison to the blood, and felt a little miserable and bored, so they secretly chatted with themselves.

"You say going to the Vedas?, I told the prince that he would help me put up a notice in the main street of Bactria to find two companions, and that I must stay here until the 15th of May, as was the agreement between Elliot, the dragon queen, and me. Jonah said.

"But I have to get there early, or I will miss the best time and enter a recession again, and it will be a lot more troublesome to do things......" The Oriental man played with his braids in annoyance.

"Then why don't you wait until you're strong again next month?" asked the astrologer.

"This matter has been dragging on for more than half a year, and if it is not completed, I am afraid that the employer will go crazy. Ah Sai had a headache and said, "Reputation, my precious reputation is declining day by day......

"Speaking of which, what the hell are you going to do? Jonah asked.

“...... If you want me to tell you the truth, you must first tell me what you are doing. What are you doing to protect and hunt down your killers?, and what secrets are you hiding?" asked the Oriental slyly.

“...... Let's change the subject. The astrologer thought about it and decided to delay the matter a little longer. Unlike all the partners he had met before, the new friend around him seemed much simpler and more complex, like a mysterious conglomerate of questions, and it would take a little more time to trust him completely.

Asai also looked relieved, "So, continue the interrupted topic, about the partner you mentioned, the woman named Ryuhime......"

Jonah didn't hear the full question. He suddenly fell into a very strange state of mind, his soul seemed to be rising, until he came out of his body, suspended on the round table overlooking his body, the surroundings became extremely dark, and there was a faint colored flame suspended on each figure's head, some people were red, some people were green, he couldn't see the color of the flame on his head, but the flame around him was actually black.

Before he could react, a familiar voice rang out: "Jonah, can you hear me?"

"Miss Rose, where are you? You're alright, it's great!" Jonah cried out in surprise, looking around at Ross Rose, the Archon of the Sukasa Gorge who had disappeared after being wounded by himself, "Did the ghost's left hand put me in this state? What's going on?...... Where the hell are you?" the joy in the astrologer's words gradually turned to horror, he could not move, could not turn his perspective, could not even tell if he was making a sound, and the surroundings were getting darker and darker, and even the flames on people's heads were gradually sinking into the shadows.

"Listen, this is the first tip I've ever received. Ross Rose's emotionless voice rang out.