When the first line of sunlight in the east climbs the windowsill and spills into the room, the mobile phone is the most data-saving, ad-free site.

Like countless times in the past six years, he took a deep breath, got up from the ground, stretched his sore back, and threw the pillow and quilt back on the bed.

In the courtyard outside the window, the ancient tree was still thick - Tails had learned from the servants' small talk that the tree might have existed long before the founding of Exeter - several of the soldiers of the stars yawned, and the people of the Northlands on the periphery were changing shifts.

It's still the same: one-third of the Grand Duke's personal guards, two-thirds of the palace guards.

Guard him tightly.

Tails sighed as he finished washing, looked up from the basin, rubbed his face, and looked around again.

His gaze swept over the books on his desk, over the swords and shields on the weapon racks, over everything in the room, and he exhaled and shook his head in relief.

Tails tied his boots and belted up as usual.

His movements were slow and thin, as if he was doing the most dignified thing, and it took even more time than usual to straighten his collar and tighten his cuffs.

He reorganized some important belongings:

A JC dagger that is as sharp as ever behind the waist.

Always in your arms, a black cloth that hides your breathing.

The unlucky bloody fangs bracelet he got from the Queen of the Night six years ago.

King Nunn gave him a light map of the court, which concealed a terrible secret.

There is also a rough page of paper of rough origin by the author, obtained from the Mindith Hall, on which is painted a sketch of a young girl.

Tails silently folded the paper into the map, rolled it into a scroll, and wrapped it with a black cloth along with the bracelet and stuffed it into the pocket in his arms.

Today, today.

There was a knock at the door.

The prince took a deep breath: "Come in".

The door opened, and Putile took his pipe and walked into the room, smiling, "It's so early." ”

The prince glanced at him, did not speak, but walked to the window and looked out at the scenery.

"I'm sure you already know that the last direct earl arrived in Longxiao City last night," Putile snorted lightly, "So, according to ......"

Tails nodded, and there was no nervousness in his tone: "I know that since the vassals of Longxiao City have gathered, the political hearing day will be held today." ”

yes, right today.

He looked at the familiar and unfamiliar scenery in the courtyard, and had mixed feelings: "How is the Qiyuan City Mission?"

"Silently. ”

"Where's the Black Sand Collar?"

"There was no movement. ”

"In Valhalla?"

"As always. ”

Tails nodded.

Before the storm, it is always calm.

Tails' gaze swept across the entire courtyard of blood.

He had lived in seclusion for more than two years—from the time the young duke came of age and he was driven to this forgotten land.

According to the boy in the back kitchen, Joseph, this was once the place of recuperation of a certain Grand Duke of Longxiao City, who decisively gave up his seat to the heir when he was terminally ill and had no medicine, and went into this remote courtyard, where he waited in solitude on his bed for the day to come, waiting for the bell of the ferryman of the Prison River.

Ever since the Archduke who he didn't know, the Blood Courtyard has become an ominous place next to Valhalla.

Tails silently watched the dilapidated scene in the courtyard, but there had never been a moment when he felt more intimate with the place.

The prince chuckled.

"What do you think of her?" Tails said suddenly, "Longxiao City." ”

Behind him, Putilai raised his eyebrows slightly, as if he was a little surprised by the prince's question.

"Longxiao City?"

"A city," the thin old man puffed out a puff of cigarette and said in a calm tone, "no more, no less." ”

Nothing more, no less?

"She's been standing here for thousands of years," Tails shook his head as he looked at the city gate looming in the distance, "Over the past thousand years, countless people have come and gone, life and death. ”

Kings, Grand Dukes, Soldiers, Nobles, Commoners...... Even dragons.

or a prince.

"But she still stands here, no matter who dwells on it, no matter who rules it, no matter who buries his bones here," Tails sighed, "she has witnessed it all for a thousand years." ”

Six years ago, the prince of the stars set foot on this land and almost ignited the war between the two countries.

Six years ago, the scourge of blood swept through the night, destroying the city and killing it in a terrible roar.

It was also six years ago that the Queen of the Sky descended from the sky and burned through the noise of that night in a deafening dragon roar.

It was six years ago, the blood of the dragon was spilled all over the land, the great natural king died, and the kingkiller stepped on his bones and put on a crown of blood that had not dried up.

But she, Longxiao City, is still here, continuing to witness countless histories.

Like the past millennium.

The man behind him didn't reply, just spat out a perfect smoke ring.

"Two thousand. ”

Tails came back to his senses, his face moving slightly, "What?"

Putilai snorted lightly, rather casually: "If you go back to Arundburg in the ancient imperial era, then the history of Longxiao City is two thousand years. ”

Tails turned and looked at him inexplicably.

"Three thousand years," the man smoking his pipe smiled playfully, "If you count the ruins of the Northern Royal City in the Chronicle of Kings,"

"And if we start from the ruins of the Age of Ignorance, and even the fur tents of the orcs," Putileh nodded at a mottled and faded dragon lance sign in the clouds on the wall, "Four thousand years should not be a problem...... Further up, I can count tens of thousands of years for you. ”

Tails raised an eyebrow.

"But this land of Longxiao City is still here," Putilai shook his head, with a hint of disapproval in his words: "And do you want to pray for hundreds of thousands of millions of years from ancient times to the present, every ant that has died in the soil under your feet, and sigh the history of Longxiao City?"

"Save it, because you're not a fart at all in Longxiao City. ”

The prince was speechless for a moment.

Tails looked away and exhaled helplessly.

"Puttilai. ”

The prince shook his head mockingly: "When it comes to disappointment, you are really unmatched. ”

Tails let go of the emotion in his heart and turned to walk to the door.

Putile chuckled and looked at the prince's back, he exhaled softly.

"Forty-three years ago, I first came to Longxiao City. ”

Tails was stunned.

Putirai's voice continued, with an inexplicable hint of longness, "It was 635, the year before King Karn's death and King Nunn's coronation. ”

It's been so long.

Putirai stared at the floor beneath his feet, unconsciously rubbing the pipe in his hand.

All the past.

He shook his head with a smirk and said, "I was fifteen years old at the time, and as the newly appointed prince's attendant, I was an out-and-out fool. ”

Tails turned, his brow furrowed.

"Squire?" asked the prince tentatively, "so you were following ...... at the time."

"yes. ”

"The eldest son of the first king, Your Highness Midir," Putile snorted softly, not looking at him, "he was a little younger than you are now, and he was also unlucky to get into trouble. ”

Tails' heart moved.

Midil Bright Star.

It's that story.

The story that King Nunn told him six years ago after that duel.

The story of the young star who went to the kingdom of dragons and fearlessly faced the king and the grand duke.

The skinny man rubbed his old pipe.

"With His Majesty Eddie's mission, our young mission has stepped into Longxiao City...... Excited, excited, curious, nervous, apprehensive, trembling—all the sillies you can imagine. ”

"Glovor's eyes widened with rage, as if he thought that the Northlanders would respect him as long as he did; Albert, the old smoker, had never put down his pipe, and had not touched it at all for a few days; Dabarney was the vice-captain of the royal guard, and he probably felt that there might be an enemy hidden in the ears of His Highness; Sakel was a rookie of the guard, and he tried his best to pretend to be serious when he was on his first expedition with His Highness, even as good as the present Waiya. ”

Putile stopped smoking his pipe.

His gaze froze in mid-air, casting his gaze into the distance that existed only in remembrance.

But the king's eldest son, young Middil, just smiled. ”

Tails didn't speak, he thought about the day he first arrived in Longxiao City, and then in his mind he painted the day when another bright star arrived in Longxiao City forty-three years ago.

It was as if he wanted to bury all his emotions in his laugh lines, whether sad or painful, nervous or apprehensive. ”

There was silence in the room.

Putile put his pipe back into his mouth and took a sharp puff.

It's like making memories of the past.

"Decades have passed, when I return to Longxiao City," Putile's face was blurred in the smoke, but his voice came dimly, full of feelings that Tyers couldn't read: "I thought I would feel relieved, or emotional, or as an experiencer, smile at this original city?"

"Just like you now, you are sad about this city. ”

The smoke cleared, and the thin old man raised his head.

"But no. His tone was cold.

Tails frowned.

Putilai looked straight at him, his eyes cold: "Nothing." ”

Tails unconsciously held his breath.

"Because the only memory that comes back to my eyes is not the bricks and tiles, grass and trees in Longxiao City. ”

Putile shook his head, and he lifted his steps and walked towards the prince.

Tails looked at him in a daze, not knowing how to reply.

"After many years, I've figured it out," Putile stood in front of Tails, looking him in the eye, "What really makes me remember is not Longxiao City. ”

"It's just the smiles of the companions who were in Longxiao City back then, and His Highness Midir. ”

It was the old people who walked together in ignorance that year.

"It's not the land that you remember," the old man whispered, "but the people of the land, and the stories you have shared with them." ”

Silent.

It took a long time for Tails, who was in a complicated mood, to speak, "What about them?"

Putile's eyes moved.

"The mission," added the prince silently, "the people who went through the story with you?"

But Putile did not answer.

Without hesitation, he walked forward, skimming Tails' side and exiting the room.

"It's time for you to go. ”

Tails looked up and stared at the window for a few moments.

"yes," Tails sighed lightly, straightening his already neat collar, "it's time to go." ”

The prince turned and stepped out of the room.

————

"Although this is an order from Her Excellency the Grand Duchess, I still advise you to keep a low profile at the hearing," Lord Justin, who was in charge of the guard, said coldly in the corridor leading from the Blood Courtyard to Valhalla, "With your status, it is very unwise to appear too high-profile in front of several counts in Longxiao City. ”

"Of course," Tails' face remained unchanged, "thanks for the reminder, Lord. ”

He automatically ignored the guards of Longxiao City around him, and with Wyaya and Rolf in the company, he moved forward with a heavy heart.

Justin nodded, and then returned to his ranks.

Waiya pursed his lips, clearly dissatisfied with the attitude of the former deputy commander of the White Blade Guard.

The squire's face was dull, his eyes were solemn, and he clearly sensed the atmosphere of the coming storm, and beside him, Rolf's face was still hidden under the silver mask, and he couldn't distinguish the mood.

"Why don't you bring Miss Edda?" said Wya, worried, "Your safety ...... on such a big day"

"You heard the Lord," Tails shook his head and sighed, "In the Hall of Serious Heroes, she probably can only get into trouble - especially against the Northlanders. ”

Rolf turned his head, glanced at Wyay with contempt, and gestured to him that Wyay couldn't understand.

"But as you said, Your Highness, the vassals of Longxiao City are not female archdukes, their attitude towards you," Huai Yaqiang held back his dissatisfaction with his companions, took two steps forward, and said softly: "You know, this is a dispute between the Northlanders, and you can stay out of it. ”

Tails raised an eyebrow.

"Waiya, will you miss the past?"

Huaiya was stunned for a moment at what he asked: "Your Highness?"

Tails shook his head and chuckled as if he had just reacted, "I'm sorry...... You know, Putile is very sentimental today, it feels like an old man's advice before leaving, mother-in-law and mother-in-law - I was also influenced by him. ”

Huaiya looked at the prince suspiciously, his feet did not stop, and the worry in his eyes was even worse: "Of course I miss the past, Your Highness, but I am more concerned about the future...... Your future. ”

Tails tugged at the corners of his mouth.

Rolf on the side let out a mocking snort, which made Waiya unhappy again.

"Rolf," the prince shifted his target, "will you miss the past?"

Tails looked back at the Ghost of the Wind, thinking back to the distant past: "You know, those days of blood in the streets of the Blood Vial Gang. ”

Rolf's eyes were confused.

But after a few seconds, the Wind Ghost quickly raised his head and gestured.

"No?" Tails sighed, "At least you were still free then." ”

Rolf's eyes on his mask moved slightly.

Freely?

Blood Vial Gang ......

Catherine Boss ...... Nekra ......

Rolf clenched his fists, and in a trance felt a dull pain in his throat and knees.

He raised his hands again, gestured in sign language, and continued his private conversation with the Prince.

Huaiya, who looked at the side, felt quite uncomfortable in his heart.

Rolf's eyes were indifferent, and he patted his heart:

Tails scoffed.

"So you'd rather go on with your current life?" the prince shook his head, "It's not an easy way to go. ”

Rolf let out a heavy "ho" from his mouth, as if sneering at his employer's words.

The former Wind Ghost shrugged his shoulders and tapped his knee.

There was a clangling sound of metal from under the clothing.

Tails chuckled, causing the guards on both sides to turn back.

"Very well," said the prince, who seemed to be in a good mood, "you will come with me into the hall today, Midila. ”

Rolf nodded.

But Wyay then realized that something was wrong:

"Your Highness?"

Tails glanced back at his attendant, "And you stay outside the hall, Wya." ”

Waiya's face changed.

"But ......"

Before he could finish speaking, Tails turned around and grabbed Wya's shoulders and pulled him towards him.

"Listen. ”

"I need you out there, I need something for me, it may sound ridiculous," Wya, who was a head taller than the prince, was pulled closer by Tails and listened to him whisper, "Actually, I hope I don't need ......"

"Your Highness," Wya's face lowered and his tone was anxious, "If you have a premonition that something is wrong, please ......"

But Tails interrupted him.

"Remember what I told you the other day," the prince's expression was as usual, but his eyes were extremely serious: "Why, Wya, whatever happens......"

Wya's stunned gaze as he looked at Tails' appearance and the scene of their first meeting came to mind.

Prince......

You......

"I know, 'Don't panic,'" the squire's voice was a little bitter, repeating Tails' words, "and 'trust you.'" ”

Tails nodded and smiled, "Then do you believe me?"

Huaiya didn't speak, he tightened his face, pressed his fist to his heart, and bowed slightly.

Tails patted him on the shoulder, smiled and nodded.

They continued on their way, past the growing number of palace guards and Grand Duke's guards, until they stood in front of the familiar Hall of Heroes.

Listen to Politics Day.

Tails chewed on the word solemnly and walked into the hall.