Why is he here?

Every time he walked in the corridors of the Fuxing Palace, Marios couldn't help but ask himself.

A few rays of light let in from the narrow stone windows, splitting the corridor into countless black and white fragments.

And he walked through the light and shadow, in the cold air of the morning, flickering and darkening.

Soon, the path beneath Marlos' feet diverged in front of him: one to the royal treasury and the watchman's chamber that he frequented, and one to the guard quarters he hated the most.

Why is he here?

Marlos did not hesitate to embark on one of them.

Because he was meant to be here.

Passing by the precious portrait of the "wise minister" Halwa (who still looks so dazzling in his hand) from the time of the Renaissance King, the watchman greeted the two royal guard logistics officers passing by, but was sensitive to the peculiar attitude of the two.

It's normal.

After all, after last night, the Min Dith Hall has become the center of attention of the entire royal capital.

Marlos thought indifferently.

What's more, the one who is really under these pressures......

Marlos turned a corner with ease, pushed open a wooden door, and entered the guard's first quarters.

"So, Weah, what's in it for the New Year?"

Marios stopped in front of the wall where the roster hung and greeted the people in the room as he unsheathed his saber and hung it on the sword stand.

Touching the weapon, encountering the other.

His finishing power awakens in his body, like instinct.

The whole world fell silent.

Barren.

Dead.

Cold.

Heaviness.

Dark.

Until someone was disturbed.

"Yerba mate. ”

At the other end of the duty room, a young man, Flag Officer Weah, put down his teacup with a bitter face and looked up from behind a desk full of papers:

"There was a merchant group that had brought it back from the Zantes, and it was so bitter that it was not available in the king. ”

"So the logistics wing got a large number of them cheaply, 'to help refresh the mind'. ”

"At least that's what they say. ”

Weah was depressed for unknown reasons.

Marlos controls his face and makes a smile that feels genuine.

"Yes," said the watchman, picking up the teapot and pouring himself a large cup:

"Bitter, this is very logistical. ”

Marios tasted it, and the taste in his mouth made him frown fiercely:

"It's perfect for your job. ”

But Weah, who is usually poor-mouthed, did not pick up this time.

"Don't look at me, Master Marlos," Weah reluctantly raised his hand:

"Today, I'm just a record. ”

Seeing Weah's unusual caution, Marlos was stunned.

He was not only depressed, but also nervous that he tried to hide.

But why?

Footsteps came from within.

A new wave appears in the dead world, attracting Marios's attention.

"You're late," a voice sounded in the duty room, calm but serious:

"Lord Marlos. ”

The voice was full of unpleasantness.

The watchman turned around, and a man of his age, with thin eyes and thin lips, and an uncomfortable extravagance, stepped out of the inner chamber and came to him.

It's him.

Marios's face remained unchanged, and he sighed slightly in his heart.

Why do you still feel disappointed?

He knew he was coming, didn't he?

"I didn't expect it to be you. ”

Marlos put down his teacup, smiled, and confronted the visitor:

"Lord Talon. ”

Vogel Talen, the deputy captain and chief flag officer he had only met last night, snorted at him:

"yes, I didn't expect that either. ”

Marlos nodded.

Vogel was not happy.

In a dead world, he told himself.

The other party wants something, but can't ask for it, it is an anomaly of resentment.

The watchman turned to Weah:

"Where's Gaitan?"

"I remember, he's usually in charge of the records?"

Behind the desk, the flag bearer Weah stared earnestly at the words under his pen, and as if he had not heard the watchman's words, he seemed to have made up his mind not to look up.

"The Flag Wing is very busy today and understaffed. ”

It was Vogel who answered him.

The chief flag officer said coldly:

"Thanks to last night. ”

Marlos smiled.

"You're so busy, that you're the number one in the field?"

The watchman turned his head and looked directly into Vogel's willowy eyes:

"Come and do it...... Paperwork?"

Vogel didn't answer him, but moved behind his desk and pulled a chair at Weah's side.

Marlos caught a glimpse of Weah sneaking to the side.

In the next second, Vogel suddenly said in a cold voice:

"The knights are full. ”

As soon as this remark came out, Marhos and Viazzi were stunned.

Despite thinking otherwise, the watchman had to respond with Weah:

"Only obey the emperor's order!"

He didn't know what the meaning of this ancient ritual was.

But for as long as I can remember, the royal guard has enforced such rules.

It seems that this will be able to regain the demeanor of the Emperor's Guard.

He can only comply.

The atmosphere became solemn.

Vogel stared at him silently, as if to test the truth of his words.

After a few seconds, the deputy guard captain nodded:

"Lock the door and we'll get started. ”

Weah took a deep breath and got up to do so.

He pulled out a black chest from the locker and took out a piece of bitumen and a rough oval stone from it.

Marlos stared.

"Then, Honorable Keeper Tormond Marios, please take a seat. ”

Weah respectfully invited Marios to sit down as he opened an iron gate behind the wall.

The walls under the iron gates are carved with strange but delicate patterns, and there are many ancient runes that may only be known by the Haoshou Sutra.

Weah obviously didn't understand this, but that didn't stop him from following the process of inlaying crystals and stones into the intricately textured holes in the walls.

Move carefully.

Familiar, but also awe-inspiring.

Weah closed the iron gate, and after a few seconds, a strange glimmer of light shone from the crack in the gate.

"What does that mean?" said Marhos, staring at the light.

"Polyphonic stone," replied Weah cheerfully, and it seemed that he also found it quite a novelty:

"It's amazing, isn't it, it's said it works this way......"

Marhros interrupted him:

"I know what it is. ”

"What I asked was why. ”

Weah was stunned for a moment, and subconsciously looked at Vogel:

"You know, the major records in the royal guard generally need to be left forever, especially the flag wing......"

Vogel coughed suddenly.

Weah immediately shut up.

"On the morning of January 4, 680 A.D., in accordance with the Janissary Covenant, the work of holding the flag of the royal guard now begins. ”

"The target for the file is the Guard watchman, Tormond Marios. ”

The flag bearer opened the record book and was decent:

"I'm Captain Weah Koden, and I'm in charge of witnessing and recording this time, along with Chief Flag Officer Vogel Talen, who will lead today's ......."

But Vogel interrupted him directly:

"Enough. ”

"Lijing is very expensive, let's save a little. ”

With Weah's embarrassed look, Vogel took over the conversation.

"First of all, about last night's ...... in Mindish Hall"

Vogel turned the page of records in his hand, looked directly at Marhos in front of him, and said coldly:

"Whether it's an impulse or a duel, as the captain of the guard, you know what's at stake. ”

"Why didn't you stop it, but instead condone Prince Tails' impulsive move?"

Marios's gaze withdrew from the wall inlaid with polyphonic stones and crystals, and no longer looked at the ancient polyphonic circle that had been tinkered with by countless amateurs for six hundred years, and was now barely usable.

He went back to last night.

"I have neither the right nor the power to interfere with the decisions of His Royal Highness the Prince. ”

"Since he has spoken, in public, I cannot disagree with him. ”

Vogel snorted meaninglessly:

"Really?"

"But what do I think you really wanted to disagree with your superiors last night?"

He hasn't changed.

Marlos looked at Vogel's face, which was as suspicious, mean, and hostile as ever.

Just like eighteen years ago.

At that time, Vogel, Facundo, and Stely, including himself, were only young knightly apprentices, and even the highest-born and most senior Vogel was only selected for the royal guard, not even a formal member of the guard.

It's just a group of young people, looking up to the legends of the past, longing for an illusory reputation.

But at the age when he is already sensible and is about to become an adult.

Witness a blood-colored nightmare.

Lose one's head.

Dazed and out of order.

Marlos shook his head:

"You must have misunderstood, Lord Taron, I ...... you last night"

But Vogel didn't give him the slightest chance to finish:

"Danny Doyle, that D.D., your First Class Guard. ”

The Chief Flag Officer looked down at a page of paper:

"His performance last night was very embarrassing, even humiliating. ”

"For his own selfishness, he acted recklessly, disregarding the prince's safety, and ignoring the orders of his superiors. ”

Vogel raised his head:

"Is that so?"

Marlos and Vogel stared at each other silently.

Over the course of eighteen years, he and Vogel, the young people of their generation, trembled, trying to portray themselves as the most admired and yet the most unfamiliar they were.

From selection students, to trialists, to second-class officers, first-class officers......

Until now.

I thought it was all there was to it.

can hide the fear and despair of the past.

Become an adult.

Let's teach a new generation of young people a lesson.

"Yes," said Marlos, huffingly:

"He was stupid last night. ”

Vogel snorted, unclear.

"As for the First Pioneer Officer, ...... Gary Glover"

The Chief Flag Officer changed a page:

"As far as I know, Doyle broke free from him to the point of endangering the situation. ”

"Is that so?"

Marlos suddenly felt a little sleepy.

But he couldn't yawn in front of them.

Impolite.

Not very polite.

"I can't deny it. Marlos picked up the yerba mate in his hand, hiding his yawn as he felt the thrill of bitterness in a dead world.

It made him very excited.

The logistics wing does good things once in a while, doesn't it?

"So they deserve to be punished, do you agree?"

As Vogel interrogated, Weah rustled and recorded something.

"Watchman?"

Marhros lifted his nose from his teacup and smiled indifferently:

"Of course. ”

Vogel looked at him for a long time, as if to confirm that the other party really had this reaction.

He pulled out a report and pushed it backwards in front of Marlors:

"Very well, then you sign it, and I will send it to the Chief Penal Officer, Facundo. ”

"For your sake, the flag wing will not hold others accountable......"

Marlos looked at the flag bearer's report in front of him and caught a few key words from it:

Malfeasance.

Arrogating.

Loyal.

Dispose.

Marlos raised the corners of his mouth.

But he obediently grabbed his pen and flipped through the report.

"Don't worry, the mistake has been made, but I think both Doyle and Croover are excusable and don't end up in the Guards confinement well. ”

Vogel was still staring at him with sparkling eyes, and the words in his mouth softened a lot:

"I advise Facundo to demote them to the rank of second-class ......"

Marios was indifferent, he tried the ink on the draft, and hummed:

"Then you're magnanimous. ”

He's not.

Vogel was eager to do so.

Marlos told himself.

To show the power he had not received elsewhere, to numb the pain he felt elsewhere, to cover his irritability that had been present for decades.

The world was still dead, and Marhros felt Vogel's emotions more clearly.

But he did so, but he was still not satisfied.

It's like revenge can't fill the void.

The future cannot make up for the past.

"But there is no doubt that these two are no longer fit to stay with Prince Tails. ”

Vogel's tone changed:

"I think they should go back to their old wings and reflect on their standby ......"

Marlos nodded while looking at the report, and said casually:

"There is only one small problem......

Vogel's meal:

"What?"

The polyphonic circle flickered slightly, and Weah frowned and tentatively knocked on the wall.

"In the presence of Prince Tails and the whole team, I have carried out the sentence," said Marlos, who seemed unconcerned:

"Doyle and Glover, both of them paid the price they deserved. ”

Vogel was silent for a few seconds.

"When?"

"Just this morning. ”

Marlos flipped to the next page, oh, this is the signature page.

"The details are with the second penalent, Gray Patterson, and of course, I'm sure Hugo Fouby will report it to the flag wing as soon as possible. ”

Vogel didn't speak.

But in the dead world, Marios felt that the pressure from the other party was rising.

It's like a stove for boiling water.

"...... this morning"

Vogel exhaled:

"Last night's incident, was it too hasty to announce the verdict so quickly?"

"In a hurry," said Marlos, holding up his pen and dipping it in ink:

But Prince Tails was furious. ”

"We don't dare to delay. ”

Vogel frowned fiercely.

Marlos, on the other hand, meticulously laid out the report, preparing to sign the most neat and perfect signature of his life.

After a few seconds, the deputy guard captain in front of him slowly held back a sentence:

"Really?"

Vogel stared at Marlos:

"Prince Tails, he's so mean and unkind?"

At that moment, Weah next to him suddenly felt a little depressed, and had to concentrate on maintaining the polyphonic array.

As if he really knew that.

Marlos shrugged, chuckled and began to write letters:

"Ha, you can't imagine. ”

Vogel lowered his eyes and looked at the graceful handwriting of Marios:

"Are you sure you deserve the crime?"

"I don't know," Marlos dipped his head in ink, shaking his head:

"Of course, if you feel that Your Highness is unfair and needs to be re-sentenced, it is not incomprehensible......"

Bang!

The deputy captain of the guard slapped his palm on the table.

Marlos's pen stopped, and he looked up at Vogel in front of him.

He didn't need to wander in his own dead world to feel the emotions of the other party.

"No need. ”

Vogel stared at Marhos intently, pulling the report back without refuting it.

The name was half-signed, and the tip of the pen pulled a long ink streak on the extracted paper.

Weah bowed his head deeply - this child has been immersed in the flag wing for a long time, and knows how to read words and feelings.

"In general, we don't punish you for one crime. ”

Vogel's face was expressionless.

In front of Marios, he tore the report in his hand to shreds and threw it into a paper basket.

"Of course, I forgot. ”

Marlos put down his pen and smiled at the other party:

"Thank you for the reminder. ”

It's a shame, that's his best autograph.

Vogel was silent for a long time until he had digested his current emotions.

A few seconds later, when the Chief Flag Officer raised his head, he was already in perfect posture and with a good attitude.

"As far as I know, you have been with Prince Tails for more than two months. ”

Vogel swept away the displeasure of Fang Cai, he pulled out a new report and returned to his current work:

"What is the character of His Highness during this time?"

Nature.

The child's ...... Nature?

Marios' eyes were slightly glazed.

"Don't die in a fight. ”

He said slowly:

"It's hard to lose and be hard-mouthed. ”

Vogel frowned and looked down at the report:

"It's not just martial arts, it's also ......"

The flag bearer was stunned:

"Anything else?"

Marlos smiled slightly:

"Your Highness's life in the north, maybe the kingdom secret department will know better. ”

Vogel raised his gaze:

"But I'm asking you. ”

There was a pause between the two.

Marlos looked at Vogel quietly.

Just like when they were younger.

"Bard. ”

Marlos spoke slowly, with a disapproving expression:

"He likes this thing a lot, he reads a lot, and he sings very well, but it's a pity that he has a lute......"

"He was played like a cat called Chun. ”

Vogel frowned again.

"He likes to talk to himself and he likes to play chess, but his chess skills stink like D.D. ”

"He likes to hold a book and pretend to be a literate man wherever he goes," Marles said, picking up his teacup, gradually feeling that the tea here was not so bitter:

"But he never looked at it. ”

"What about the others?" Vogel interrupted:

"For example...... Some anomalies?"

Marles lifted his gaze.

The Vogel surface does not change color:

"We all know that the prince is a genius, unlike ordinary people. ”

It's different from ordinary people.

The Watchman spent a moment in a dead world known only to himself, before he snorted and returned to reality.

"Well, His Highness's mouth that seems to be smeared with poison never forgives, but it's strange that his usual temperament is gentle and unhurried. ”

Marlos smiled knowingly again:

Including some of the common disease-free moaning and melancholy temperament at this age. ”

"You know, there was a lack of love in childhood......"

Vogel coughed deliberately!

"Watch your words, Lord Marlos. ”

Marlos smiled apologetically.

It's funny.

The watchman stood in the dead silence of the world, looking at the infinite desolation ahead.

Vogel has been living in irritability and emptiness, and he is furious.

But he was still in awe.

In fear.

"Anything else?"

"Yes, although I don't know the details, Your Highness has one thing that makes the guards worry a lot......

Vogel looked up and listened.

"...... by all indications"

Marhros thought a little:

"Prince Tails, he maybe, well. ”

The watchman nodded, and said:

"Prefer men?"

At that moment, Weah, who was drinking tea, was pounced on by the huge wave splashed in the teacup, and quickly wiped it, embarrassed.

The report in Vogel's hand was torn and distorted, and the folds were messy.

The room was extremely silent, and it was embarrassing.

Only the polyphonic circle is still working dedicatedly

"Marlos. ”

Vogel's face was expressionless, but his voice sank:

"You know, we used polyphonic stones. ”

He said in a sinister manner:

"This Eternal File ......"

"It's going to last for a thousand years. ”

Marlos smiled.

"yes, I know. ”

The watchman looked at the glowing polyphonic circle, and his smile was like a New Year's greeting, and he was false:

"So let's try to be real, don't we?"