In a tavern in Sin City, a man pours wine cup by glass, and there are several empty flasks next to it, some filled with sweet wines, some with spirits from the North, and some even the sour apple stuff that poor farmers would buy.

Sometimes, the meaning of drinking wine is not about the taste of the wine itself.

Instead, I want to use wine to forget the bitterness and sorrow.

The man is Chris Eaton.

He's been in Sin City for five years, and his beloved Alexia has been dead for five years, but he still remembers everything about her.

Yes, everything.

Bright and silky silver hair, two slender eyebrows that almost spread to the hair, and two pointed canine teeth when he laughed. She had bitten him with them more than once as they entered her body. The deepest impression was that they were one for the first time, he made a promise in his ear, and she replied in a happy voice: "I believe in you." I'll wait for you. ”

Alexia, I'm sorry.

I am an unfortunate person, and I am the one who brings you death, just as I bring death to my mother.

I shouldn't have touched you, I shouldn't have been with you...

He blamed himself all the time, and if he hadn't remembered the family responsibilities on his shoulders, he felt that he had probably gone crazy. For many nights, she was in his dreams.

Sometimes she was as delicate as a spring flower, and sometimes she was covered in blood and asked him why he had abandoned her...

Oh my Alexia, I didn't abandon you and never...

Escaping pain, everyone has their own way.

Chris chose wine and blood, and whenever his body allowed, he would go into the gladiatorial arena and enjoy the concentration of killing; Every night he would soak in the taverns of André or Lapsey until he got drunk.

The two friends in Sin City, who own taverns, will throw him into the room.

He also helped them earn a lot of gold coins and rubies in the gladiatorial arena, and also won himself various titles: lucky redhead, bloody redhead, cruel redhead, invincible redhead...

His strength has also made great progress, and he has long touched the threshold of the strong.

Andre has said more than once that if it weren't for the tarsal mayflies constantly eating away at the divine veins, Chris would have been a half-step powerhouse by now.

But Chris doesn't care about any of that.

He has always treated himself as a drunkard.

"Andrey, another pot of everything!" He shouted loudly.

Sin City's food and wine are expensive, but don't worry about the gold, he wins a lot of rubies and keeps them with his two friends.

"Chris, it's time for you to rest."

Walking over was Andrei's wife, who from the Eastern Islands had already given birth to two children for Andrei, "You should cherish your body for the sake of your loved ones." ”

"Loved ones... Huh..."

Chris smiled sadly, did not refute or insist on drinking, and stumbled up the second floor to his room. He never forgot the faces of his grandfather and father, and their words: You don't live for yourself.

So when he was lying on the hardwood bed again and sleepless, he suddenly had the urge to go home.

Yes, go home.

It's been eight years since Grandpa Raphael last told humans that the demigods were about to die, and it was time for him to go back.

He has already failed Alexia's waiting, and he can't live up to the family's waiting, as well as his grandmother's Avril's expectations.

Yes, he has already unsealed the long knife.

I also saw the motto engraved by Avril on the knife - where the long knife goes, it is all ants!

It can be seen from this sentence that Avril, who was once praised as the "pride of the sky" by the entire south, has a heart that has won the title of demigod. Chris, who was born at the cost of her life, felt that she could not live up to her mother's ambitions, let alone allow herself to continue to be decadent.

Grandpa, are you okay?

Father, do you often forget to eat lunch?

I want to go home.

Perhaps, if there is a thought in the heart, there will be an echo.

When Chris had the idea of going home, Sien, who was in charge of the caravan, was also sent by old Henry to Sin City to find him and let him go home.

At first, he thought it was because his elderly grandfather was in poor health, or that the family territory had ushered in a change.

Theon said neither.

He was just urging him to go back to the north, on the grounds that the elder Henry and Kafka were planning something about the future of the family, waiting for him to go back and see it together.

Chris didn't ask any more questions.

There are things that you should know when you know.

Moreover, since the death of the little wolf girl, he has become a man of few words and does not care about many things.

There was nothing to say all the way home.

When he entered the family territory, he learned that old Henry had summoned him back for two things, but both of them made him endlessly sad.

The first thing was that he knew he had a son, a son who did not have the surname Eaton.

When he stepped into the house and saw old Henry, he also saw a four-year-old boy sitting on his grandfather's lap, playfully pulling the old man's beard.

The child had silver hair with a lot of gold threads and vertical eyes, and two fangs could be clearly seen in his smile, and he looked very much like Alexia.

Children are not afraid of life at all.

Seeing him come in without knocking, he jumped off old Henry's knees, ran to him and tilted his head: "Are you my other father, Chris?" ”

Father?!

Chris felt as if his heart was being pinched by a strong man, and he couldn't breathe at all.

He has only had one woman in his life.

This child, call me father?

Is he my and Alexia's child?

He couldn't believe his ears, and at the same time his heart welled up with sorrow and longing for the little wolf girl.

He calls me father?

Damn the old widower of the god of fire, isn't my little wolf girl dead?

"Hey, I'm asking you!"

The child waited for a long time and could not answer, and with his head held high, he showed a trace of impatience, and asked the man who was petrified, "Is your name Chris?" Well, red hair, very tall, just like my grandmother said! ”

Chris, who woke up, squatted down and looked at the child at eye level, with some crystals in his eyes converging, "Yes, I'm Chris, you just said that I... Am I your father? Well, another father? ”

"That's right! You're my other father, and my grandmother says my grandma's name is Alexia! ”

The little boy stretched out his hand and pulled the man's beard, giggling, and his crisp childish voice sounded as good as the little wolf girl in his memory.

"By the way, my name is Luke!"

"Hee-hee, you must not know my name!"

"Hey, why are you in tears? I don't blame you for not knowing..."

.......

The cause and effect of the incident, Chris knew in the old Henry's staccato voice.

His little wolf girl is indeed dead.

But not on the altar of the ancestors that spring, but on the Forest of Death in the fall.

The child's name was Luke Adrian Liasta, and he was dug out by the little wolf girl by cutting open her own belly.

It's his son, yes, but he doesn't have his surname.

The ancient xenomorph entrenched in an active volcano gave the child a drop of blood from his heart, giving him the surname Liasta; And the werewolf patriarch added Adrian's last name to it in honor of his dear sister.

Since Luke was carried back to wolf territory by Cage, he has been raised by the mother of the little wolf girl.

Perhaps in order to continue to maintain the trade relationship between the two sides, and in order to allow the various tribes of the Northern Blood Rock to continue to obtain the weapons forged by the dwarves, Cage brought him to the Eton territory at the beginning of this year to repair the bridge between the two sides to cooperate again.

The Eaton family only then learned that the family had a descendant with the surname Liasta.

The arrival of this child made Henry Sr. and Kafka very happy, and they happily reached a future war alliance with Cage.

As for the child's surname.....

The Eton, like the werewolves, cannot afford the wrath of the ancient xenomorphs and the Terror Ze.

He'll call Chris his father anyway, and that's enough.

Chris didn't think so much about the sudden arrival of his son.

He only knew that this child was the last trace of Alexia in this world, and the life of the man who died because of him.

As for whether the child has his last name or not, this is irrelevant.

Heaven has mercy and has given him the most precious gift, and he cannot ask for too much.

The second thing was a letter that had been placed in Old Henry's study, from the Privy Counsellor of the Vulcan Sect, Raphael, Chris's grandfather.

He asks Chris to accept the marriage.

The Einske family has always been well-informed, especially when the elder Henry learned of Luke's existence and sent a special letter to inform him.

In the human realm, everyone knows about the ancient xenomorph Ilmai!

And Luke became the blood of Ilmai, which was a blessing for the Einske family after the fall of the demigods.

The family, which has been inherited for many years, is the least lacking in wisdom and scheming.

The Einske family quickly figured out how much strength the Eton family had because of Luke's presence, and also regarded him as an ally that could sit on an equal footing.

Partners who can enjoy the disintegration of empires side by side!

Therefore, Raphael immediately asked James to rush to the Whispering Forest to explain the pros and cons to the elven leader, and asked him to marry his youngest daughter, James's wife's sister Amelia, to Chris.

As long as it happens, these two red brothers will gather the power of the dwarves, elves, snake people, and subhuman tribal alliances, and they will have the opportunity to change the Holy Empire to another master!

After all, Ilmai is not only the king of the snake people's kingdom.

It is also the ancient xenomorph who is most likely to be promoted to demigod after Uther!

Not one of them.

As it happens, the snake people are not keen on expanding their territory.

Or rather, they find it a chore to leave the Waters of Terror!

Therefore, Einske and the Eton family can rely on Luke's existence to rebuild an empire from the ruins of the Holy Empire and rule the entire Endless Continent!

Yes, build an empire that rules over all the intelligent races!

And after the old Henry received the letter, he immediately asked Seon to go to Sin City to bring Chris back.

Marriage with elves?

Amelia, that naughty little girl?

Chris sat in old Henry's study, pondering what Grandpa and Father had just said.

Luke was already asleep in his arms.

Ever since he knew he had a son, he never let him out of sight, and even learned to bathe the little ones.

His impression of Amelia is still stuck eight years ago, when the little girl in Edin City who first called him the big bad, the big liar, and later changed to the big brother.

Yes, she has grown up now and has reached marriageable age, and my little wolf girl happened to be the age of a flower...

He closed his eyes in agony, and put his hand on Luke's head.

Old Henry saw his grandson's performance, his face showed a hint of dissatisfaction, and he opened to say something, but Kafka gently patted his knee, who gave him a slightly calm look.

Having controlled Eton's territory for more than a decade, Kafka has long had the same voice as his father.

His body was still very fat, and he moved the chair closer to Chris with difficulty, reached out and hugged Luke over and kissed the silver hair with gold threads, and patted the little boy's back with his chubby hand, and his eyes were full of doting like ordinary grandfathers.

"After Avril was gone, I also hugged you to sleep like this every night."

He didn't look at Chris and seemed to be muttering, "I know this decision is unfair to you, Chris." It's really hard to let go of someone, and I never forget your mother's face. But in any case, people always have to look forward. Putting aside the principle of bringing glory to the family, you are the father of this child, don't you want to make his future better? You have to take good care of this child to be worthy of his mother, don't you? ”

Kafka's voice was soft.

But every word slammed into Chris's heart like a hammer.

The endless sorrow hidden in his heart made him feel that remarrying again was a betrayal to the little wolf girl.

Although he knew that he would definitely go to the Whispering Forest.

He is an Eton, the heir to the Eton family, and his birth cost his own mother's life, so there is no reason to refuse.

A better future for our sons?

Alexia, do you think the same way?

He tried to convince himself to find a reason for himself to feel better.

I'm sorry, my little wolf girl.

If there is a next life, I will compensate you in full...

Chris picked up Luke and walked slowly outside the study, "Grandpa, father, I'll give you an answer tomorrow morning." ”

When he came out of the study, old Henry smiled.

The arrival of Luke and Raphael's letters filled this time with joy.

And he's all too familiar with Chris to know that his grandson has already made a decision.

"Kafka, a gift for a visit to the land of snakes and the Forest of Whispers, by the way, to Einsk..."

"I know, father."

Kafka interrupted his chatter that wanted to vent his joy.

It also made the old man glare unhappily, but found that his son's eyes were also full of sadness.

Old Henry suddenly came to his senses, and Kafka must have remembered Avril.

The experiences of the grandson and the son are too similar, and the lover also leaves the son behind.

Eaton is an unfortunate surname, for women and men alike.

"Ugh..."

Old Henry sighed, "You go out, I'm tired." ”

He has never been a woman in his life, he doesn't understand this taste, and he doesn't want to understand it.

Early the next morning, after Chris finished working as a sparring partner for Luke, he cautiously asked, "Luke, if I find you another grandma, can you accept her?" ”

The child tilted his head and was silent for a moment before asking, "Will she like me?" Will you play with me? Just like grandma. ”

"She will."

"Well, I want to have an aunt too!"

"On either side of the mountain, the children have grandma. Grandma said that my grandma went to the ancestors, do you know where the ancestors are? ”

"Oh, you don't have to shed tears if you don't know, my father on the other side of the volcano never sheds tears!"

Child, the father promised you that there would never be any more tears ...

After five years of separation, I deserve to spend more time.

But only ten days after his return, Chris set out on his way away from home, mainly at the urging of old Henry.

"Chris, I don't know how many more years I have to live, but I don't think there will be a few more years. You know, your father was born in bad health, and he won't last long. Our only wish before we die is not to see you become strong, but to see you marry and have your own small family. Luke is your son, but Liasta's surname determines that he is the king of the Ze of Terror, not the heir to the House of Eton. ”

He said this with age spots crawling all over his face and hands.

It is also the reason why Chris does not dare to delay.

I have the last name Eton, it's my destiny.

When Chris arrived at the Forest of Whispers and handed the token to the Elven Patrolman, he repeated it again in his heart. The token was given by James's wife, without which he could not visit the territory of the elves.

Before arriving at the Forest of Whispers, he would remind himself of his fate every day.

Because the southern part of the Endless Continent was too charming when the spring flowers were blooming, and the melons and fruits along the way were too delicious, he felt that something was missing in his heart.

Yes, something is missing.

His little wolf girl is a cold plum that grows in the snow and ice, clear and proud, and there is no soil for her to inhabit here.

Alexia, you know what?

I'm on my way to meet another girl, who might be my wife.

Originally, you were your wife's.

My little wolf girl, why have you rarely visited me in my dreams lately?

Are you angry?

Yes, you should be angry.

I have failed you first, and now I am going to abandon you.

My love, I'm about to abandon you...

Chris is tormented every day, and every day he has to comfort himself that he has no choice.

He is about to turn 30 years old, and there is no more vigor in his eyebrows, replaced by a wisp of sorrow that will never fade.

It is said that time is the best medicine in the world, which can heal all spiritual wounds, but it cannot heal the bleeding wounds in his heart.

Returning to his homeland from Sin City, he was ready to let go of his personal emotions and take on a mission for his family, and he was even ready to marry for the benefit of the principality.

That's right, he was enlightened at the time.

But because of Luke's appearance, the appearance of the face that resembles a little wolf girl reminds him that he has failed his lover's expectations and makes him fall into infinite self-blame.

Not only to the little wolf girl, but also to the son who did not inherit his surname.

Chris knew that his life had been bought for the life of his mother, Avril; He also saw his father prove his loyalty to his mother with the loneliness of the second half of his life.

He wanted to do the same, but he couldn't.

The father did this to live up to the expectations of the surname, and he did so to live up to it.

He could only mutter silently.

I'm the hope of Eaton, and it's my mission...

The person who came out to greet Chris was not the leader of the elves, but Amelia.

This girl, who already knows her future, said to her father: "Father, you said that the decision on marriage is in my hands, so let me dominate everything." ”

After James' previous visit to the Forest of Whispers Chen explained the pros and cons, the leader of the Elven Clan left Amelia to decide.

And Amelia didn't run away.

She knew that she would marry the Terrans like her sister, for the good of the race.

Her father just sighed and walked away silently.

He was a father, but also a patriarch, and guilt could not affect his decision-making.

The eighteen-year-old girl appeared in front of Chris with her slender legs on a tall elk, wearing a Loki Daran wolf tooth pendant around her waist, carrying a longbow and arrows, and straddled a long dagger, looking at the eldest brother who had been absent for more than six years.

Big brother is a lot older.

This is her first reflection.

Chris, who followed the patrol into the Whispering Forest, had bright red hair, a full beard, and bare forearms that were dark blue. Unlike his brother-in-law James, the eldest brother has never trimmed his beard, so that his upper lip is covered. gave him a bit of vicissitudes, especially with the melancholy between his eyebrows.

Chris was also looking at the beautiful girl.

He didn't associate the once innocent, pink-carved little girl with the person in front of him.

Maybe it's another patrolling warrior.

He thought.

Amelia gently patted the elk's neck, made it turn around and walked slowly, and said with her back, "Big brother, come with me, you will be alone." ”

Chris knew right away who the man was.

There is only one person in this world who would call him that, and earlier he was called the Big Bad, and the Big Liar.

Chris gently drove his horse to follow, and the two riders walked slowly side by side.

Amelia didn't speak, just looked intently ahead; Chris didn't speak, only occasionally looking sideways at the girl's face.

Next to the pointed ears are delicate faces, as delicate as Alexia's.

The difference is that the little wolf girl's delicacy is a little tough, and there is a pair of heroic eyebrows that almost spread to the hairline. Amelia was so smooth that she couldn't see a single pore, and it seemed that water could come out when she pinched it.

After about half an hour, a turquoise lake appeared in front of me.

Their arrival startled many birds, flapping their wings and marking all sorts of graceful marks in the sky.

Amelia disembarked the elk on the shore of the lake, hung two long daggers around her waist, and patted it on the body to signal it to leave. This action made Chris discover the wolf tooth pendant, and he couldn't help but feel warm in his heart.

He remembered the pendant.

"Big brother, are you ready?"

The girl's smile was like a hollow orchid, the grass under her feet was full of arrows, the longbow in her hand had been rounded, and an arrow was placed on it, aimed at Chris.

It's a game that the two of them often play in Edin City.

When Chris practiced his sword skills in the morning, she would sneak up on him with an arrow without an arrow.

Chris laughed too, and Lisso dismounted and picked up the long knife.

"Come on."

This time his long knife was unsheathed, and Amelia's arrows were arrowheads, and the shafts were ironwood. They are slightly lighter than steel and have straight veins that are not affected by the direction of the wind.

"Pull out your knife, big brother."

Amelia also thought that Chris didn't draw the knife because she was worried about damaging the arrow shaft, so she specially reminded her.

"No, Amelia, that's fine."

The young elven girl had some embarrassment on her face, and she felt that she was being underestimated by the person in front of her.

She has become the pinnacle of warriors, and she still holds the best bow and arrow in her hand, but she is not qualified to make the other party draw a sword?

Under the love of the heavens, no one dares to ignore the archery skills of the two elves!

Even if you're a big brother, you can't be so big!

She replaced her embarrassment with action, and the arrows in her hands sped quickly, sometimes less than a second between them.

Actually, Amelia misunderstood.

Chris has been through too many life-and-death killings and has long learned how to achieve victory with the least amount of effort; I also know that I must always keep my spare strength to meet the unknown dangers.

It had become his instinct.

Now too, it's easier and less laborious to pick an arrow than to break it, isn't it?

The girl had only two pots of arrows stuck in the ground, and they were quickly gone. And Chris's range of motion did not exceed two meters, and he pushed all the arrows away.

This made Amelia wrinkle her good-looking nose, and her little face was a little red, I don't know if she was angry or tired.

She walked over and picked up the arrow and snorted "Again".

This time, she used the secret of the two elves clan, the skill of connecting beaded arrows, and the arrows flew so fast that she didn't even have time to moan in the wind.

It's a pity that nothing has been achieved.

Chris didn't stand still this time, but moved in a zigzag pace, moving quickly towards the girl as he pushed away the rapid arrows.

Finally, he tapped the girl's clenched longbow with a long knife, ending the game.

Chris smiled and put his long knife on the ground.

Amelia, on the other hand, kept her arrow on her bow and stared at him angrily.

The turquoise eyes stared at the bearded man for a long time before he burst out laughing.

"Big brother, I'm hungry!"

She put down her bow and arrows and sat on the ground, twisting her head to look at the rippling blue waters.

"Got it."

Food isn't hard to find on this lakeside.

Especially for Chris, who has a wealth of experience living in the wild.

It took him less than half an hour to bring back a very large fish and two unlucky birds.

Amelia sat quietly, watching the man skillfully make a fire and roast meat with clear green eyes; There was no expression on his face, and he didn't know what he was thinking. It was only when the roast in Chris's hand wafted into the charming aroma that she came back to her senses, took a piece and took a careful bite.

She doesn't have little canine teeth, my little wolf girl does, and so does my little Luke.

A look of gloom flashed in Chris's eyes.

Fortunately, Amelia didn't notice it, she was concentrating on the barbecue, "Big brother, did you just spill something?" ”

"Crushed cinnamon, a seasoning that only exists in the north, is a little spicy, are you used to eating it?"

"Well, it's delicious."

After speaking, she wiped her mouth with a small handkerchief, and the elegance of her posture was inferior to that of the nobles who had inherited it for thousands of years. She stood up and walked over to the elk, brought several melons and fruits, and handed Chris one with a grin.

The elves are accustomed to vegetarian food, and she is not used to meat-only dinners.

Chris took it and took a bite, his mouth full of fragrance, and the juice drenched his beard.

This made Amelia giggle, and it also made Chris's eyes disappear a lot.

The southern climate makes the fruit sweet and makes the atmosphere for dinner peaceful.

The stars were already blinking in the sky, and many fireflies were flying in the dense woods, twinkling and twinkling to light up the silence of the night.

"Big brother, do you want to hear my story?"

Amelia's eyes followed the path of the fireflies, and her voice was dreamlike.

"Okay."

She began her story at birth.

After the death of his mother, he lived in Edin City with his sister. After returning from Edin City, he held a coming-of-age ceremony in the Whispering Forest, and then lived here until now, and explained why the elves were adults at the age of twelve.

Her story is simple.

There are no ups and downs in the plot, and there is no heart-wrenching past.

Just like the elven brew, it is soft and fragrant in the mouth, and then has a faint sweetness that makes people have an endless aftertaste.

She is a lily on the shore of a deep mountain lake, pure and beautiful.

Chris defined, looking at her side face.

Perhaps, it was a mistake for me to come to the Whispering Forest, and I shouldn't have come to ruin her peaceful life.

Marriage for the sake of profit is the injustice of fate to her, and the cruelty imposed by those of us who seek profit. Her peaceful life can go on forever, although she still retains the wolf's tooth pendant.

"Big brother, my story is finished, can you tell me your story?"

The nice voice came again, interrupting Chris's thoughts.

"My story? Okay, a bit long, though. ”

"Hmm."

She let out a faint, soft, nasal voice.

Holding her legs and putting her little head on her lap, her turquoise eyes staring at the fire, the light fluttering on her face, no expression to be seen.

He started with the turning point of the Eton family, Michael Eaton's resolution of the invasion of the subhuman tribes, and talked about the withering of his mother Avril and the trials reserved for himself; He spoke of the city of Gardinarath and the Great Wasteland, and of the origin of the Locky Daran's Lock; Talks about the experience of becoming a gladiator and obtaining the fangs of the Gold Eater.

When he returned to Eton's territory and prepared to go to the Forest of Death to hunt the Ice Bone Lizard, his heart welled up with sorrow, and even his tone changed.

He finally talked about the little wolf girl, and he had told Alexia his story as well.

Now, the former audience is part of the story.

The sad taste also made Amelia tilt her head, and she vaguely guessed that the story behind it was not very beautiful.

He repeated it again in his own heart, suppressing his sorrow and continuing to narrate.

He spoke of the union with the little wolf girl, and her withering; Speaking of five years in Sin City; When it comes to returning to the Eaton family, he finds that he has a son, Luke.

Finally, I finally talked about the experience of coming to the Whispering Forest.

When his story was over, there was silence in front of the fire, save for the sound of sparks bursting from the burning wood and the playing of insects in the distance.

Halfway through, the elven girl spoke.

"Big brother, will you forget Alexia's sister's face?"

"No!"

Chris didn't think about it at all, then froze, and said with a hint of guilt on his face, "I'm sorry, Amelia. ”

The girl smiled, as intoxicating as a flower blooming.

She gently lowered her little head back to her lap, letting her long turquoise hair hang down naturally, and said no more.

Chris looked up at the sky and stopped talking.

Tonight's silver moon has no light, the blood moon rules the land, and the bright starlight in the sky is extraordinarily deep, like Chris's eyes.

He had a lot of worries in his heart, and a faint hint of fear.

He had already failed a girl, and he was afraid of failing the current girl again.

Since he was born, he has been burdened with fate, he wants to become a strong man, and he wants the Eaton surname to be passed on for a long time, so that the people of the territory can be rich and happy......

His path was destined to be bumpy, accompanied by blood, and the light of the blood moon.

He can't give the girl in front of him a stable future, but has been full of swords and swords for a long time; He can't give a warm family with children around his knees, but a long-term battle to gather less and wait more.

"Amelia, I am the heir of the Eton family, and I will become a person who puts interests first in the future."

"I understand, big brother."

"Amelia, I will fight abroad for a long time in the future, for the inheritance of the territory and surname."

"I understand."

"Amelia, I have a son, although he does not have my last name."

"I remember."

"Amelia, if you go to the north, you may not be able to return to the south for many years, or even for a lifetime."

"I know."

"Winters in the north are cold, dripping into ice; It's also very long, almost five months. ”

"Hmm..."

"There are very few varieties of melons and fruits in the north, and they are not found for several months in winter."

"Hmm..."

"Amelia, thank you."

Chris closed his eyes, sighed, and stopped talking.

Alexia, I will never forget your face for the rest of my life; Amelia, I repay you with this life.

I am the hope of Eton, and I am not only burdened with fate.