Intrigue and subterfuge, sin and ugliness, many are born in secret rooms in the dark. Pen @ fun @ pavilion wWw. ｂｉｑUｇE。 ｉｎｆｏ

But conspiracies can also be created in broad daylight.

For example, now.

At noon on November 16, when winter was approaching, in a wide horse farm, a fat old aristocrat, dressed in a thick mink shawl, bowed his head and frowned under a parasol.

He watched the training of several horse trainers in the field as he listened to the words of another nobleman on his left.

After a while, he sighed leisurely and looked at a disobedient horse in the distance, the corners of his mouth folded.

"What kind of royal treasure is missing, and it is worthy of our esteemed majesty to lock down the Mindis Hall indefinitely? ”

The nobleman beside him was younger and slender, and he looked at ease, naturally and easily grabbed the agarwood pipe in his hand and took a deep breath.

Also, Gilbert rushed to Mindis Hall overnight to report to His Majesty on the situation of the gangsters in District XC. He puffed on the smoke rings as he said happily.

"Really, Your Majesty the Iron Fist, when did you ever care about the lives of the untouchables in District XC? If Your Majesty had half the kindness and kindness of the former King Eddy to his people—" The obese old nobleman touched his thigh bitterly—the untamable horse fell on its front hooves.

"Then why do we meet at the horse training farm?"

"There must be something the pro-king party is planning, and I can promise it will not be a trivial matter - maybe a move that can turn the tables in one fell swoop. The young nobleman smoking a pipe had a bright-eyed look in his eyes.

"The Mindis Hall is a good place, and if you lose the royal treasure - hopefully not a painting by Master Colvin - you must have raised the vigilance there. The old nobleman suddenly came up with a sentence that had no beginning or end.

But the young nobleman nodded knowingly: "And I have news that Gilbert has been instructed to find out the truth about the theft, and will be conducting frequent inspections of Mendis Hall recently--with that man here, even the white eagle can't do it." ”

"We can be tempted, but we can't go overboard - we have to use other methods to disrupt them. ”

The young aristocrat inhaled another puff of top-of-the-line Fisola, which yielded only six hundred pounds a year, revived for a moment, and then spat out a perfect smoke ring.

"The Exeter envoy will arrive in the kingdom next month," the old nobleman's face showed sincere concern, "Alas, the peace between the stars and Exeter was not easy to come by after all. ”

"Yes," compared to his predecessors, the young nobleman couldn't hold his breath after all, and his sharpness and spirit were shown in him: "If the envoys have an accident in the country, in the face of domestic and foreign pressure, presumably our majesty will also be very passive." ”

"If Your Majesty doesn't handle it properly," the old nobleman looked at the horse in the distance and got up, breathed a sigh of relief, took a sip of tea, and said helplessly: "Alas, sure enough, a country like ours with a hereditary throne is backward." ”

Both were silent for a while.

The elderly nobleman shifted his body and asked casually, "What's going on in the West Ring District?"

"Don't ask me, sir, you know I hate magicians the most. ”

"Well, then talk about the Brotherhood of the Streets?"

"Those guys still won't let go," the young nobleman's face suddenly became displeased, "It's only been about ten years, and they have such a big breath. Presumably, their confidence in the backers behind them is more than their confidence in our 'new stars'. ”

"Don't underestimate young people. ”

The old man grinned helplessly, shrewdness and sharpness appeared in his eyes:

"Children are scared - that's what is terrible. ”

――――――――――――――――――

Compared to the hurried glimpse from last night to dawn, the Mindish Hall that Tails had seen in the afternoon was larger, more ornate and, of course, more empty.

On the ground floor is the conference room, grand ballroom, and open-air garden, complete with a sizable back kitchen, basement stock, and even armament storage.

Aside from the open-air balcony with a panoramic view of the outdoor garden ("For your safety, I don't recommend that you be on the balcony or outside for a month. The second floor has three large rooms with different functions, the noble banquet hall, the council room, the games room, and large and small rooms.

Although the corridors and entrances from the first to the second floors are filled with majestic armor guards with faces hidden behind covered helmets, each of them as intimidating as sculptures ("Even though they are the Brightstar family's private Finishing Swordsmen, I still don't recommend stabbing them in the abdomen, little sir. —Gilbert), but from a distance, Mindis Hall was still frighteningly cold and empty.

But Tails' living room and bedroom, including the dining room and study for classes, are on the third floor. There was only a narrow staircase from the second to the third floor, and the eight Terminators guarded it twenty-four hours a day, in shifts of six hours. As for the window and the ceiling of the hall, I heard that there are also guards standing guard in the open air ("There is a yodel, please don't worry about the threat from outside the window. —Gilbert).

Every dish, from cabbage and bread to beef and water, is taken from the same well-guarded back kitchen and underground storage that has long been equipped ("I beg your pardon, I can't guarantee their freshness. —Gilbert), from cooking to delivery, undergoes rigorous procedures for detoxification, testing and testing.

This is really an incredible security measure.

Looks like I'm a lot more important than I thought.

It should be said that it is worthy of the ruling class that holds power?

I wonder if Iyala's skills can sneak in?

Speaking of which......

"No, no, I forgive you for refusing, little sir. ”

Tails looked up at Gilbert with a puzzled look.

"Everything about you, so far, is top secret," Gilbert shook his head resolutely: "With all due respect, we have sealed off the Mindis Room, and our contact with the outside world is limited to a few trusted secrecy - in this case, the royal family sent someone to find the three beggars in hiding in the XC sector...... Whether it's investigating or helping, it's extremely detrimental to both of you. ”

"Don't underestimate the abilities of those who have a heart. He said in a deep voice, "At least until ...... The right timing. ”

Tails sighed, frowned, took the last bite of the sweet, greasy butter bread in his mouth, and quickly picked up the cup and took a sip of black tea.

At least the food is much better.

"If you're satisfied with the afternoon tea," Gilbert said, taking his teacup from the scrambled Tails with impeccable etiquette, and bowing slightly, "we're about to start the afternoon class." ”

In fact, Gilbert kept his smile unchanged and said to himself: Maybe we should start with table manners?

"Where's Yodel?

"He's a competent bodyguard, and he's naturally always around. ”

Tails resisted the thought of subconsciously looking around.

Knowing that yodel was nearby, he felt inexplicably more at ease.

So Tails tugged at his uncomfortable bow tie on his chest, and followed Gilbert into the study with a slight frown.

"First of all, Tails, I spoke to Yodel last night. ”

Gilbert watched as Tails tucked himself into a leather chair and looked curiously at the décor around the study, especially the shelves on three sides.

"You are a special child, and I can tell from Yodel's judgment and in the few hours since I met you. ”

Here it comes.

Tails still had a curious look on his face, but he was wary in his heart.

"But it stands to reason that the heir of the stars is naturally special. Gilbert put his hands behind his back and walked slowly towards the desk carved with the nine-pointed star emblem.

His gray-white temples looked solemn at the moment.

"I believe that since fate has sent you back to the stars, she must have made arrangements. ”

Tails looked at the middle-aged nobleman and said nothing.

"I know a rough idea of your past. Life on the streets is bound to be uncomfortable. “

"But please forget this past. ”

Gilbert picked up a book that had been prepared long ago from the black agarwood desk, turned around and said:

"You're going to have a new identity, a new life, even a new name, but what really matters is the future you're going to face and bear. ”

Gilbert's fierce gaze shot at Tails' grey pupils.

Forget the past.

Tails said silently.

He looked into Gilbert's piercing eyes and nodded solemnly.

How can it be.

Tails thought to himself.

"I see. So," Tails said slowly, considering his words:

"What do I need to know about myself and my past?"

Gilbert's expression remained unchanged, but his heart bowed slightly: panic, fear, helplessness, these emotions that a seven-year-old child should have at the moment did not appear in this child.

Some are just calm and cautious, and even have little excitement.

He's really not ordinary.

Was it a Brotherhood experience?, Yodel wouldn't elaborate, but the Assassin admired the kid's performance, but could the gangsters in the XC District really have that kind of experience?

Or is it that since the ancient empire has been inherited, the nearly three thousand years of star kingship is really extraordinary?

Or maybe it's his other half......

Thinking of this, Gilbert frowned imperceptibly.

But the competent nobleman bowed slightly.

"Tails, dear little gentleman, allow me to address you as such for the time being. ”

"You are 7 years old, and on the evening of July 25, 665, you were born in Mann Manor, on the outskirts of Yongxing City, the king of the Kingdom of the Stars. Gilbert said unhurriedly:

"Your biological mother was a noble lady who could not be named, and died of massive hemorrhage during childbirth. Before she died, she named you Tails in the name of a star. ”

Tails brows curled slightly.

"You grew up in Mann Manor under the secret watchful eye of the Bright Star Family, and I and another court lady would visit you from time to time. ”

"During this time, you have grown up as the child adopted by Lord Mann when he was out hunting, and you are unaware of your identity. ”

"Last December, Lord Mann was killed in battle on the western desert border, and because there was no heir, his property and territory were repossessed by the royal family. In the meantime, I'm taking you back to the Minewis Hall in the Twilight District. ”

Tails was silent, listening to the narrative.

"And next month," Gilbert clenched the book in his hand, "you will claim the right you were born with as the illegitimate son of King Kessel V, the orthodox star of the stars, and the only remaining blood descendant of the Bright Star family, which will be recognized by the royal family, the Sunset Temple, and the High Council of the Stars—"

Gilbert's eyes were solemn and serious, with a slight worry and sadness.

"—Heir to the High King of the Stars. ”

It took a long time for Tails to exhale slightly.

It seems to be a lot more complicated than you think.

"I see, some things are not clear, but I will keep in mind that I was formerly Tails of Mann Manor, and Lord Mann's adopted son. Tails' eyes twinkled, and he clasped his hands.

His mind was rapidly arranged, combined with the existing information, and from Gilbert's rhetoric, he combined elements into effective intelligence.

Kilbert nodded and sat down in a leather chair across from Tails.

"For the rest of the part, I will summarize the details for you to memorize and familiarize. ”

"That's what you're doing at the moment, and you just need to know that. ”

Sure enough, although he respected me a lot.

But in my bones, I still feel that there is no need to talk too much about a seven-year-old child.

Tails' eyes flashed.

"Now I need to know your foundations-"

Just as Gilbert pondered what lessons to offer Tails next, whether it was basic etiquette or written language, the future heir of the stars interrupted him abruptly.

"So, we've decided on a unified message for the outside world," Tails, curled up in a leather chair, lifted his chin from his hands, his eyes shining, "Then it's time to tell me the truth, right?"

Gilbert was slightly stunned.

"For example, the identity of my birth mother, and why she is the way she is - unspeakable. ”

"There is also the difficult situation of the Kingdom of the Stars, especially the series of problems caused by the royal succession. ”

"And the king's predicament, and our common enemies and allies, both overt and covert?"

"Maybe you should tell me more about the above, so that I will no longer have doubts in the next lessons, and I will be more able to choose and focus on what I want to learn. I think it's the best choice for the stars, for your king. ”

The voice fell.

The middle-aged aristocrat's chin opened slightly, and he looked back at Tails in surprise.

Did Yodel tell him that?

No.

Tails withdrew his hands, his expression calm, indifferently but firmly waiting for Gilbert's answer.

In that moment, Gilbert felt as if he had seen the young Kessel Eddie Bright Star.

At that time, the stars in Prince Kessel's eyes were still there, and the warm light had not yet turned into a biting north wind.

Gilbert lost his mind only for a moment, then immediately came back to his senses and sighed slightly.

Extraordinary children.

From the next moment, the middle-aged nobleman began to answer him really, respectfully and respectfully, to this little master:

"I see. ”

"I'll answer it for you right away. ”

"In order to save a lot of time, if you have any questions, you can ask them together. ”

Tails frowned slightly.

"Very well," he said, propping himself up from the comfortable, but always unaccustomed leather chair, "then I'll just do it." ”

The traverser lets go of the transcendent thinking in his brain, pulls out all the intelligence and information, and summarizes the key points as he did in the past.

"You said that the bloodline lamp was a magic trick that was laid down twelve years ago, but I was only seven years old, why did you start preparing for the means to find the descendants of the bloodline twelve years ago? I think it has something to do with my ulterior biological mother, who is she? After giving birth to me seven years ago, why did you keep me in the hands of the gang? These questions can be boiled down to 'where do I come from?' ”

"Also, Kessel - my father is obviously still in the prime of life, so what is the reason why the Kingdom of the Stars has no heir for twelve years? Why all the hopes of an heir fall on an illegitimate son of unknown origin? My father's attitude towards me is not right, if it is not a matter of personal character, then I must ask: what is his relationship with my mother? Why is my identity so secret? These questions are probably 'Who am I?'

"In the end, what does my existence mean to the Kingdom of the Stars? What problems will the stars face without an heir? Who are our enemies and who are our allies? Listen to you, the Temple of the Sunset has an important role in my affairs, what are their circumstances?What will happen to me if my identity is recognized, or if I am simply in the kingdom?What are my rights as an illegitimate child?What exactly am I going to inherit as an heir?These questions can be summed up as 'Where am I going?' ”

"Where I came from, who I am, and where am I going? ”

"Mr. Gilbert, please answer these three questions for me. ”

Time seems to stand still at this moment.

Gilbert stared at the boy in front of him.

For no apparent reason, strangeness and fear welled up in his heart.

The ancestors of the ancients, the kings of the stars.

He sighed in his heart.

Is this boy your descendant?

What kind of power is hidden in your bloodline!

It took a long time for a middle-aged nobleman to say a word from his mouth.

"Mr. Tails," he exhaled with some difficulty, organizing his own language:

"You don't look like a seven-year-old. ”

Tailston realized that he had just behaved inappropriately.

But he was already riding a tiger.

Anyway, a prodigy who knows the world is better than an ignorant puppet, right?

"More than one person has said this, and if you want to please me, you have to put it creatively, Mr. Gilbert. In order to soften Gilbert's expression, Tails had a rare comeback of humor, and a smile broke into his face.

Gilbert didn't reply, but just looked at him deeply, his gaze lingering for a long time.

Just when Tails wondered if time had stopped, the sculptural middle-aged nobleman suddenly spoke up and began to answer his doubts.

"Dear Mr. Tails, first of all, where are you from? ”

"It all started twelve years ago. ”

"In March of 660, the reign of the first king Eddy II, who was old but still in power, reigned long and secure, and was known as the 'King of Constants'. ”

"But suddenly, the entire Star Kingdom, because of an increasingly violent rebellion, fell into unprecedented turmoil, and even implicated the entire Western Continent. ”

"War, cataclysm, famine, that was the theme of that year. ”

"Many people refer to that year as the 'Year of Blood'. ”

"In the midst of such chaos and bloodshed, King Eddie was killed, and the entire Bright Star Royal Family was almost slaughtered. ”

Of all the orthodox royals, only his fifth son, 35-year-old Prince Kessel Bright Star, survived and was eventually crowned king. ”

"That is your father, Kessel V, known as the 'Iron Fist King'. ”