"Are you okay?"

Jenn looked puzzled.

Tails struggled to adjust his staggered breathing so that he wouldn't show any signs of it.

"Yes," Tails grinned reluctantly, pushing the plate of lettuce that was used to support the scene away:

"It's just that I'm full, and I can't bear it. ”

Jenn was silent for a moment, his gaze sharpening.

"So in your opinion, a vassal like me is still the culprit, and it is the source of the chaos of the country under selfish desires?"

Tails did not admit it, nor did he deny it.

He looked at the duke, trying to forget what he had seen in his mind:

"Probably. ”

"But it's not an accusation, because there's nothing you can do. ”

Powerless.

Jenn savored the words for a moment.

He said with a blank face:

"According to you, everything is inevitable, and there is no room between us?"

Tails looked at the Duke for a long time.

He suddenly remembered the first time they had met, when they had encountered a killer sent by Arrond - according to the Hammer, it was the hands of the Shadow Shield.

If the hidden assassin jumped out at this time, wouldn't Jenn have been the one to block him again?

Tails shook off this boring thought, was silent for a while, and shook his head:

"Who knows. ”

"But when a crisis comes, new demands must arise. ”

Tails was a little distracted:

"I think when history is tired of repeating, when people are tired of disputes, when countries are tired of infighting...... When the time comes, the absolute, only, and supreme power of the monarch may once again be called, needed, and pushed to be the protagonist of history. ”

Jenn frowned.

"As in the old days, after the kings of the same were said to have risen and fall," Tails pointed to the other and said with a smile:

"The vassals divided the land and expanded the territory, as if they were the protagonists of history. ”

Jenn groaned for a few seconds.

"In this statement, the protagonist of history is first the king, then the vassal, and then back to the king?"

He looked at King Kessel in the distance, and then looked back at the prince:

"Only these two, nothing else?"

Tails scoffed.

"King or vassal, one or many, gathered or scattered, monopolistic or full, central or block, bureaucratic or gentry, unified or divided, centralized or autonomous, hierarchical or absolute power, names are varied, and they are so varied, whatever you call them. ”

He shrugged:

"But like you just said: binary, two-way, two-way, both sides of the scale, both ends of the road. ”

Jenn snorted coldly:

"It looks like it's going around in circles, and it's back to square one. ”

Tails shook his head disappreciatively:

"It's like spinning in circles...... Maybe it's because you're in the wrong place and in the wrong angle?"

Jenn looked at him.

"If you're only in front of history, or behind it, yes, it does look like it's going back and forth,: Tails forgot what he had just seen in his mind, and his tone became lighter:

"Up and down, back and forth, from low to high, and from high back to low. ”

"But if you move your noble ass in three dimensions — I mean, move your noble ass, climb higher in history and look down. ”

Tails said slowly:

"Maybe you will find that from this angle, in countless factors, in the unknown details......"

"History is always moving forward and making new choices. ”

"Never spin in circles. ”

Jenn frowned, thinking for a long time.

Just as Tails sighed and was about to continue, Jenn suddenly spoke:

"Like waves on the sea?"

"The waves that rise and fall when you look at eye level, rise and fall when you look at them, but in fact they are always moving forward?"

Wave.

Tails was stunned, then laughed.

"Not bad. ”

He was going to talk about the "spiral" of the rotten street, but since the other party's consciousness is so high......

Tails leaned back in his seat, silently looking at the King and Duke on the steps, and the various guests below.

"Whether it is a king or a good vassal, in addition to going back and forth one by one, every time they fight, every time they alternate, every time they collide, there may be new sparks. ”

Tails' words became clearer:

"From the rise of the ancient chavin to the partition of kings, from the juxtaposition of city-states to the conquest of empires, from the merger of heroes to the final empire, from the end of the war to the establishment of the stars, from the division of the revival of kings to the reform of virtuous kings—everything is new under the sun.

He thought of the old crow and sighed slightly.

Jenn pondered Tails' words:

"History moves forward like a wave, and we are like a boat on a wave, most of the time we go with the current, and occasionally we can ride the wind and waves?"

Telston paused.

"A boat on the waves, interesting to say. ”

But alas, I think, this parable is both self-righteous and self-defeating. ”

Faced with this contradictory answer, Jenn cast a puzzled look at him.

Tails turned his head and smiled.

"I think we are water, but also waves. ”

Tails' expression was extremely serious:

"We are history itself. ”

Jenn's face changed slightly.

This time, he turned back and was silent for a long time.

Not far away, Marios, who had been busy all night, and Croover, who had returned from outside, had just met:

"Or nothing?"

Glove rubbed his hands red, and shook his head as he put on his gloves:

"Nope. ”

"The guests were carefully searched before entering, and nothing was found in the gift storeroom that could have been used as weapons or poison. ”

"The guests who have approached His Majesty and several of the Dukes tonight—that are nearly a hundred—have been checked, and all of them are people of identity, no impostors, nothing suspicious, at least not particularly suspicious. ”

Marios's face tightened.

"Outside the hall, the officers of the vigilance blocked the road for a night and found nothing. ”

"Inside the hall, the royal guards - both from the Fuxing Palace and us - also kept an eye on it for several hours, and found no assassins. ”

"And," said Glaufo, after a moment's hesitation:

"I ...... According to my acquaintances in the vanguard wing, even the people from the secret department of the kingdom have come and used some forbidden means to detect threats. ”

Kingdom Secrets.

Marios' eyes flashed.

Grove continues:

"But in the entire Mindisi Hall, there is neither a high-energy bitumen resonance, nor a high-concentration refining eternal oil reaction. ”

"At least, none of the guests had unknown alchemy orbs or magic guns hidden. ”

But Marlos suddenly reached out and grabbed his shoulder!

Gallover was startled, only to see Marlos lower his voice with a serious expression:

"What about the other metrics?"

"Array interference, spell fluctuations, law anomie, origin mutual exclusion, balance phenomenon, abnormal descending traces, and other indicator magic detections?

Gloveo was stunned by several unfamiliar words:

"Magic?"

"I, my friend didn't say so much......"

Marlos frowned.

Unexpectedly, another voice came from behind him, answering him.

"Neither," in the wary eyes of the two, the deputy captain of the guard, Vogel Talen, walked coldly from behind them:

"There is no such thing as a long-lost mage. ”

"At least not a magical thorn. ”

Gloover looked worriedly at his two superiors.

But Marlos was still thinking and didn't say anything.

"Ha, Patterson caught a couple of disheveled love birds in the empty room in the side hall......"

D.D. yawned and looked exhausted, and came from the other side to report:

Also, Stowe caught a few naked men and women "chatting" in some carriages, Bastia caught a few lazy guys from the servants' passage, and a few stealing food in the kitchen...... But it wasn't a big deal, and the basement and fireplace were empty. ”

"In addition, two men were caught in the bathroom, and they played 'four-legged beasts' in a single room, you know, hehe...... Lao Pi wanted to report it, but I stopped him...... Ahem, anyway, we have an extra amount of money this month, which can improve the food ......"

Doyle smirked and shook his head.

Until he saw Vogel, startled, and tensed his body like an electric shock:

"Ahh

Vogel glanced at him, hiding the disdain in his eyes.

Doyle coughed violently and became serious again:

"Sir, many of the older guests have already left: the Earl of Cassel is overwhelmed, Baron Garth and his widow lover have gone home early, Duke Aarend will be escorted back to his cell in a moment, and Prime Minister Cullen is said to have asked the court governor if he can leave......"

He turned his head and looked at the guests in the center of the hall who were getting more and more crazy:

"These young people are left......

Marlos frowned, watched as one of the guests snatched the bard's lute, sang a love song to himself, and confessed to a girl with a difficult face:

"Eat, drink, sing and dance all night, aren't you tired?"

Doyle narrowed his eyes as he watched as the guest was stopped by another angry young man, and after a few harsh words in the air, the two men fought and became jealous of each other ("Don't fight anymore!"—the weary girl) until they were successfully pulled by their sweetheart waving a handkerchief ("What I really love is your father!"—the affectionate girl):

"It depends on who you jump with. ”

Vogel snorted lightly:

"So, we have to be ready to stay up all night, waiting for your assassin to show up?"

Both Gloufo and Doyle glanced at Marios, but the latter did not respond.

"You should rejoice that your Majesty's business is not much for tonight, and it is all done," said Vogel unhappily.

"Captain Adrian is persuading His Majesty to put down the secondary arrangement and leave the field early. ”

"Can we end this farce?"

Marlos pondered for a moment, and his eyes lit up:

"Perhaps, maybe the Assassins are still waiting for their time. ”

"Wait?" said Vogel disdainfully.

"After Your Majesty and the Dukes have left......"

Marlos looked up:

"That would take away a large number of guards and let the rest relax. ”

The watchman looked up at the Prince's seat, where Duke Iris and Prince Tails seemed to be talking speculatively, chatting passionately, as if no one was around.

He frowned:

"It also brings the goal closer. ”

At Tails' side, Jenn raised his glass again, looking at the affair in the banquet hall that caused everyone to watch:

An old baron, with a blue face, was arguing with an old friend he had known for many years, accusing him of seducing his daughter, whom he had planned to marry, despite his age, shame, and friendship.

Jenn retracted his gaze:

"The king, the vassal, and the king. ”

"The Earl of Cassel has just told me, not without pride, that your teacher to the north is Merry Hipser. ”

"Is this his teaching?"

Hearing the familiar name, Tails was in a trance.

"Half of it," he said nostalgically:

"The old crow provided me with a lot of historical material and details, and I would like to thank him for his perseverance in asking questions, forcing me to think about every possible or impossible answer. ”

As if the previous life was not enough.

Jenn raised his glass to him:

"What about the other half?"

Tails shook his head.

"That's another person...... It's kind of a way of thinking. ”

Jenn looked puzzled.

"Three-stage," Tails was a little distracted:

"Affirmation, negation, negation of negation. ”

Looking at the other party's puzzled expression, Tails smiled:

Or so you can understand it: the king, the vassal, and the new king. ”

Jenn understood immediately, but he still frowned.

"How to think?

Tails sighed:

"Hegel. ”

"I don't remember, who is he?"

Tails shook his head: "You won't know, if you really want to talk about it, he is a long, long time ago......"

The prince thought for a moment and said with a smile:

"Mage. ”

Jenn froze.

Mage?

He looked at Tails, and the solemnity in his eyes was even greater.

"I see," said Duke Iris lightly:

"Very inspiring. ”

Jenn's eyes froze, not knowing what he was thinking.

Tails looked at the other party's hard thinking and wanting to gain, and suddenly smiled.

"You know, according to this logic......"

Tails had a feeling:

"You have an apple, I have an apple, we exchange, each of us is still an apple. ”

Jenn looked confused.

Tails held up his fingers:

"But you have a thought, and I have a thought, when we exchange ......"

Jenn realized a little and continued:

"Two thoughts?"

But Tails shook his head.

"No, more than that. ”

He was slightly distracted: "That's ......"

"We're going to have a third ...... like we've never seen before"

"New thoughts. ”

Jenn was silent for a long time.

At that moment, Tails suddenly saw King Kessel rise from his seat, and the Staley's bodyguard, who was with him, put on his cloak.

The king's ranks sprang into action.

Some of the guests noticed the king's actions and stepped forward to say goodbye, but King Kessel did not seem to want to be high-profile, he just waved his hand casually, and disappeared through the side door surrounded by the royal guards.

Queen Koya and Genie were gone, and Kessel's back was even more lonely and cold.

And the royal guards around him are like a great enemy.

Tails' heart tightened: if the Assassins were to make a move, now was the last chance.

He ignored Jenn's gaze and looked around warily.

However, a minute passed, and until the king's huge retinue walked out of the banquet hall, no one jumped out with weapons in his hand, shouting slogans to assassinate the king.

Tails breathed a sigh of relief as he watched the last man in the King's ranks disappear.

Well, he didn't expect the other party to come and say hello, "Son, I'm leaving".

The prince subconsciously broke the perfect sitting position, stretched, and sat up straight before anyone could correct him.

For some reason, without the king in his presence, Tails felt much lighter, as if he had lifted his burden.

Obviously, Tails was not the only one who felt this way—the biggest proof of this was that after the king left, the music in the banquet hall was not weak but strong, and the restlessness of the crowd increased instead of decreasing.

But......

What if the target of the assassins was not the king?

Tails reached for the knife on the table, rolled his eyes, and confirmed with Marios.

Fortunately, the Star Lake Guards guarded the main roads around him very well.

"Your Majesty is leaving?" Jenn frowned.

"Yes. ”

Tails turned around, and the absurd thought of Jenn blocking the knife for him popped up in his heart:

"There are other guests present, and I think it's time for you to ...... too"

Jenn interrupted him.

"Your opening toast today is good. ”

"Cheers to God, to the kingdom, to the king, to others, to faith," Jenn's gaze focused on Tails, clearly not wanting to leave:

But few people will say: respect yourself. ”

Jenn said lightly:

"Yourself. ”

Tails frowned slightly.

He sensed that Jenn's mood had changed.

Because of the king's departure, there were more guests who wanted to crowd into the Duke of Star Lake, but they were all stopped by the Star Lake Guards for a ready-made and obvious reason: His Royal Highness Tails was having a good conversation with Duke Jenn and should not be disturbed.

"Tell me, Tails. ”

Jenn called the prince by name again, and he turned the glass in his hand and whispered.

"Have you ever thought about ......"

Duke Iris raised his head in his chair, looking at the huge columns in the hall, his eyes serious:

"Back then, if that Lady Serena hadn't taken you by surprise and taken you to the Vineyard Manor, you and I would have become enemies from the beginning......"

"Later, if she doesn't blend in with your convoy and attract the Queen of Nightfall......"

"Then we will be in a different situation today?"

Tails stared at Jenn with a serious expression.

"What do you mean?"

But Duke Iris smiled slightly:

"Bright Star and Cavendil, Nine-Pointed Star and Iris, we don't have to be enemies. ”

"You and I, we can put aside our past grievances and stand together......"

Jenn stared at him, emotions rolling in his eyes:

"In the future, in this crumbling world......"

"Accomplish deeds. ”

Tails' eyes moved.

Jenn slowly approached him and raised his glass for the third time, revealing his signature smile:

"As long as you are willing to accept peace – no more enemies of me. ”

Tails froze.

Jenn raised an eyebrow, flicked his wrist, and gestured to Tails' glass on the table.

The two looked at each other for several seconds.

At that moment, Tails seemed to go back many years.

At that time, in the military tent of the Northlanders, another man who was much rougher did the same, and pushed his glass to the prince of the day, and invited him to drink with him.

Tails quickly came to his senses, and he looked at Jenn's expression and smiled.

"Abandon past suspicions and stand together ......"

"It sounds familiar," said the prince, playfully.

"Did you say something similar six years ago when I was on an expedition to Exeter?"

Jenn's face sank.

Tails looked at each other's expressions and remembered the words of Duke Falkenhause in the Ghost Prince Tower:

But you have to be more careful and vigilant. 】

[Powerful noble lords will rush to you, win over the princes who have not returned for a long time, and do everything possible to win you to their side, turning you into the vanguard of the Fuxing Palace. 】

Tails stared at Jenn's face and chuckled:

"I'm sorry, but maybe you should say: Bright Star and Kevendier, we just marry into a family, and in the future, we will be bloodlined, advance and retreat, and share the Star Throne?"

At that moment, the prince clearly saw that Jenn's expression was cold, and his breathing intensified.

Like a mild spring breeze, it suddenly crashed into a cold air mass.

On the periphery, Doyle, who came back to take the guard, yawned and pushed the honest guard officer Ferry next to him:

"Your Highness and Cavendier's family, what did they talk about? The relationship is so good, and it doesn't end for so long......"

"Speaking of Ferry, don't you think that although many girls are trying to get close tonight, His Highness, he, prefers to stay with men?"

Perhaps he didn't expect D.D to answer him, and Fee, who stared at the guests loyally, was stunned for a second:

"Uh, it seems to be?"

Doyle looked suspicious:

"Why do you say that?"

Ferry replied without hesitation:

"Because His Highness is also a man. ”

Well?

Doyle was stunned, feeling that something was wrong, he thought for a while, but he didn't find a flaw in this sentence.

Before Tails' eyes, the Duke of Southbank gently lowered his glass.

"Our past conflicts were caused by accidents or forced by circumstances, but they were by no means intentional or personal grudges. ”

Jenn took two deep breaths, as if adjusting his mood:

"But this time, I'm serious. ”

"This time it's just me and you, and it has nothing to do with the family behind us, so you don't have to involve them. ”

Duke Iris's tone was stiff, as if he was forcing himself to endure it.

It's just me and you, and it has nothing to do with the family......

This time, I'm serious......

Tails chuckled in his heart:

This full of scumbag scripts has a sense of déjà vu, what's going on?