It was already the afternoon of the fourth day after coming out of the forest and back on the slate and gravel avenue of Turin. Although it was a few days ago, the terrible tragedy still seems to be vivid, and the entire convoy of people rushed silently, hoping to reach their destination sooner.

It was the end of summer, and a cool breeze was blowing softly and soothingly from afar, making the Black-Bottom Shield Spear banner of the Kwen family and the banner of the Knights of the Sacred Tree hunt.

Before the twilight of the setting sun had completely dissipated, the group finally reached the King's Bridge over the Triumphal River, and almost everyone could not help but cheer when they saw the endless and rushing river in the wilderness, and the long bridge made of white boulders on the far river.

The nearly 300-metre-long King's Bridge spans the Triumph River, with a spacious deck that can accommodate at least two four-wheeled carriages passing in parallel, and a full eleven piers make it stand on top of the rushing water, flat and almost invisible, almost completely connected to the Turin Avenue at your feet.

There are towns to the south and north of the river, and the low stone walls and arches that stand on the Turin Avenue protect the two towns, giving them the appearance of a cut circle, half of each on the north and south banks of the Ponte del Rey.

More than 300 years ago, after he inherited the city-state of Turin, the founding monarch of the Kingdom of Turin built a "passage" that would allow his army to pass through the Guò Triumph River in a single day. For the next nine years, he spent the rest of his life on the outskirts of war, and the day he returned to Turin was the day he was crowned king.

So this glorious stone bridge was renamed the "King's Bridge", and the rushing river became the "Triumphal River" - as for their original names, they have long been forgotten by everyone, and people can only remember the victory of the great king in the nine-year conquest war, the proud figure of the knights following behind him, and compiling history is always the prerogative of the victors.

Almost as the group passed through the arch of the town, Edward noticed that many of them were looking at them with great curiosity, and the townspeople looked at the group in almost amazement, as if they had seen something incredible.

And by the time Mrs. Angelica ordered a few servants to bring the intact bloody wolf skins to the people of the local chamber of commerce, the fat president of the chamber of commerce almost had his eyes popping out.

"Radiant Cross, are you really from the Turin Avenue in the forest?! That road has been interrupted for almost a month - since the ban was issued. The fat on the fat man's face trembled, and he seemed to have palpitations: "It's all because of those evil blood wolves!"

"The Radiant Cross blesses the Kwen family's black-bottomed shield and spear banner and the glorious Knights of the Sacred Tree, and that terrible pack of blood wolves has been completely wiped out by us!" The servant in charge of selling these blood wolf skins was so proud that his hair was about to fly, and he looked like he was in trouble: "We are blessed by the Radiant Cross - really, even in front of the Archbishop of the Radiant Cross Church, I still dare to say that!"

Then he began to tell the story with metaphors, and the fat president of the chamber of commerce and a few leather merchants were immersed in the biographical story - good and evil, light and dark, very bloody, but people loved to hear this, at least much more interesting than the trivialities of the neighbors.

In his story, almost everyone that night was blessed by the Radiant Cross and was invulnerable, the hideous blood wolves were obscene and cowardly, and there were many "miracles" that no one saw, but only he noticed: the bright starlight shone on everyone's body, the sword and spear exuded a golden light, and the shadow of the Radiant Cross appeared in the sky......

It wasn't until he himself felt that this was too nonsense, or that he was worried about the danger of being accused of blasphemy, that he relented a little. But apparently the audience didn't think so, and they pulled him hard to ask what the shadow of the Radiant Cross was, how the Venerable Knight-in-Saint Tree had slashed out five or six meters of golden light with a single sword, burning the blood wolf to ashes and something like that.

"Of course, the reason why we were able to defeat this group of blood wolves was because in this team, there was a young man who was blessed by the Radiant Cross. In order to make his story more believable, the servant decided to include a story he had heard at Fort The Hague: "He was once killed, but he was rewarded with the Radiant Cross and came back from the dead!"

"Not only that, but he also slew the head of the pack of blood wolves - I saw with my own eyes, he rode on a black steed and brandished a steel sword, and with a single swing he cut off the head of the head of the wolf!" he looked at them with a swear: "These are true, go to Fort Hague and ask, and all the people there will tell you about the miracle of the Glorious Cross!"

Probably because his story was really well told, the fat-faced president of the Chamber of Commerce and a few leather merchants also generously bought all the human blood wolf skins, and promised to tell everyone in the town the good news, so that everyone could be stained. He even arranged a tavern for Mrs. Angelica and her party quite enthusiastically.

Of course, the price of the furs was still half a copper plate, and the price was still how much it should be, and this made the servant, who had a great talent for telling stories, quite discouraged, and could not help cursing the unwieldy misers, who had spent a long time talking in vain, and at once the merchants regained their shrewdness when it came to the price.

Sir Lawrence was rather unconcerned about these matters, but he was relieved that he had been able to arrange his accommodation so smoothly, and that having the help of the locals would have saved him a lot of effort—and he had chosen to ignore the talk that he was on fire and holding a flaming sword.

"He had a talent for storytelling, but unfortunately the merchant only had gold in his eyes. Edward looked at Sir Leonardo beside him with some amusement: "What do you say, His Excellency Leonardo Gombray, who wielded five or six meters of golden light and burned the blood wolf to ashes with a sword?"

"You'll understand when you get to Turin. Sir Leonardo was disapproving: "Those aristocratic sons and daughters have to kill a dozen dragons, hundreds of ghouls and countless robbers every week, but they have never left within two hundred meters of the walls of Turin, and your little merit is not enough for them to see." ”

As he spoke, Sir Leonardo sighed and looked at Edward with a somewhat meaningful smile: "When you get to Turin, maybe we can have a good chat - maybe then you will begin to know what you chose to become a Sacred Tree Knight." ”

"You're going to leave now?"

"I've been delayed for a long time, and I'll have to get to the Knights' headquarters early the next morning. Sir Leonardo nodded slightly: "I will rush to the headquarters one step ahead of the year and explain to them about you - as I said, you are definitely not the only one involved in this matter, so don't take it alone!"

"And until now, I've wondered if it was right to do so—it might be a better choice for you to be for Lady Angelica, and for you to lay down those heavy burdens, and as far as I know, the noble lady had given you the title of knight, and wasn't it a tempting choice for a squire of poor birth like you?"

"What exactly are you trying to say?" asked Edward curiously.

"I mean, you should make a choice—the Knights of the Sacred Tree can give you a bigger future, but you have to be prepared to take risks. Leonardo said in a deep voice: "And if you stop now, no one will accuse you of anything, after all, it is a very wise choice." ”

............ Sir Leonardo and his nine remaining Knights of the Sacred Tree did not linger too long, and left without even saying goodbye to Lady Angelica - though such a move might be more appropriate and less embarrassing for both parties, given the Knights' long-standing relationship with the Minest family.

"I thought you'd leave with them. Alan who came out of the carriage was a little surprised and a little happy, and looked at Edward on the warhorse: "Didn't you always want to join the Knights of the Holy Tree?"

Edward smiled slightly, flipped off the saddle, and looked at Alan calmly, "Maybe you have forgotten, but when I was in the port of The Hague, I swore to you to protect you all the way to the city of Turin. Although it is not very smooth, I am not going to break my oath - my sword will be wielded for you before reaching the walls of Turin. ”

The black-haired boy gave a slight salute and led his horse to the back of the convoy, not noticing the blonde girl with a ponytail and a tomboy dress, standing there and watching her.

Or, in fact, you've noticed it a long time ago, haven't you? You self-righteous, arrogant bastard who kills a thousand knives! Knowing that Edward wouldn't turn his head, Alan still bit his lip tightly and suppressed his feelings.

Alan may never understand, or pretend not to understand, that she is actually the same as all the noble ladies, but simply hopes that there will be a knight who rides a horse and hangs a sword at his waist, willing to kneel in front of her, and willingly protect herself for the rest of her life......