"No, you can't go down with me."

"But I don't have to go to class right now."

"You've got eight hours to go to class, don't you?"

The hissing Nostramo language rang out once again in a room aboard the Imperial Dream. After a moment of silence, Conrad Coetzes nodded reluctantly.

"But I want to help you." With one last bit of hope, he said.

Carlil didn't answer, he just looked at Conrad Coetzes and didn't say a word. Conrad Coetzes gradually lowered his head in response to his gaze.

"I don't want to say anything you 'should' do, Conrad. But you and I both know that the most important thing you should be doing right now is studying, isn't it? ”

"I just want to go on patrol once......"

"I've already said hello to them." Carlil said calmly. "From the number one to the broken horn that you didn't have a number, I've said hello."

The pale giant jerked his head up—he was still shorter than Carlil, something that had never happened in the past, but it seemed very timely.

"Really?" He asked quietly.

"I didn't lie to you, did I?"

Carlil smiled and walked forward, opening the door to Conrad Coetze's room. The conversation came to an end, and the last communication between them was not carried out in words.

Through the door, the Midnight Ghost stared at him for a moment.

Through the door, Carlil nodded calmly.

The door closes gently.

The eagle's ornament looked at Carlil in place of Conrad Coetzes, who looked back with the same attitude, but wondered why the emperor had chosen the double-headed eagle as the symbol of the Empire.

Unfortunately, the answer to this question can only be found later. He hasn't had time to study lately, and the Emperor Dream......

From those stares around the corner, Carlil knew that he wasn't welcome.

Turning around, he was about to leave. But a giant in golden armor stopped him around the next corner.

His armor was more impressive than his equally proud companions, and the flapping eagle waited menacingly on the massive shoulder armor. He did not have a helmet on him, and a calm face waited quietly under it.

Carlil raised an eyebrow.

There are no weapons.

He noticed this.

"So...... Was it his invitation? ”

"Nope." The calm giant shook his head. "Our Lord is thinking at the moment, he won't see anyone during this time."

"Do you always talk like that?"

"It's Gothic."

"That's what I said." Carlil chuckled. "But what you are using seems to be older...... It's interesting that just a little grammatical difference can make a language more awkward. ”

"Yes, yes."

The giant nodded calmly and held out his hand, "But that's not what I'm here for tonight—Marshal of the Praetorian Army, Constance Dante Waldo, salute you, Carlil Lohals. ”

Carlil held out his hand to shake him. Every detail of the golden armor was slowly felt in the palm of his hand, the coldness, delicacy and the slow hum beneath it.

He memorized them one by one.

The brief ritual was over, and Constance Dante Valdo began to talk in the golden splendour, which was dozens of times wider than the usual corridor.

"You're trying to remake that... Heavenly body. The Janissary paused, as if swallowing an adjective.

The pause didn't escape Carlil's keen senses, and he smiled. "I guess you're trying to put a not-so-good adjective in front of Nostramo."

"That's true." The Marshal of the Forbidden Army nodded, his expression still calm. "But I'm not going to say it in front of you."

"It doesn't matter, it's dirty, it's abominable, and it's not worth saving. I'm not going to be angry at the fact that someone has exposed it. ”

“...... In short, Karil Lohals, you are doing something almost impossible. ”

"I know."

"Then why don't you give up?"

A sincere tone, a sincere countenance—not a mocking question, not some deliberate retort.

Good, Carlil thought.

"Because I have to."

He said that his voice was very soft. "You also said that it's almost impossible to do, but it's not really possible at all. And even if it's only a 1 percent chance, I'm going to give it a try. ”

"The odds are probably 0.1 in 100 percent."

Constance Dante Waldo frowned. "I don't think you don't know about this, Carlil Lohals. The Lord trusts you very much, which means that you are not a stupid person. And from what we have observed of you these days, I am convinced that you are intellectually superior. ”

"Intellectual superiority? It's an adjective I've never heard before......"

"Intelligence and intelligence are not to be confused, I don't know if you have intelligence, but your intelligence must be beyond that of most humans in this galaxy."

Constance Dante Valdo shook his head again: "This means that you can clearly understand what the current situation of Nostramo means, and its only value to the Empire is those minerals. ”

"Nothing else it has to offer the Empire. The Eighth Legion soon arrived, the sons of criminals of the Terra descent, many of whom were criminals themselves. ”

"And even for them, Nostramo is a terrible place. Believe me, if what you want to do is make this a conscription planet, you won't succeed, and the Terrades will be vehemently opposed. ”

"It's funny, but I'm not going to make Nostramo a conscription planet - can the able-bodied people be either nobles or gang members, and these people can also enter the Eighth Legion?"

Carlil laughed. "I've read the stuff and I know what kind of killing machine those modifications can turn a person into. Therefore, those who enter the legion are either blank sheets of paper or virtuous people. There are neither aristocrats nor gangs. ”

Constance Dante Valdo's brow began to furrow.

"You know so." He said confusedly.

"Yes, I know—and I can't do anything about the Eighth Legion. The Lord of the Eighth Legion is now resting in his room, and he is the one who can dictate to this legion. ”

Carlil replied with a smile.

The manner in which he talked about it made the Janissary realize something, and the latter quickly changed the subject after a brief silence.

“...... Karil Lohals, I have one last question for you. He whispered.

"Please, Marshal of the Praetorian Army."

"My lord has seen you alone."

The Janissary spoke slowly.

"The first thing he did when he came to this planet was not to see his son, but to talk to you alone. And after that, he also gave you a huge right. I don't think you're going to abuse it, however, you need to know the whole picture of it. ”

He stared into Carlil's eyes.

"This right is terrible. I've seen countless heroes and virtuous men rot in it, into what they once despised most, and they hold less than a tenth of your power. ”

"I don't question my master, and I don't think he knows anyone, but, Karil Lohals, you need to be careful."

The Marshal of the Praetorian Army said solemnly and solemnly: "Power is a poison, Karil Lohals, don't let it poison you." ”

"You are the most confusing person I have ever seen in my life, you were born on a remote nightmarish planet, but you have irreproachable morality, and you even have an inexplicably powerful power - my lord trusts you, and therefore we will trust you......"

He lowered his head, his voice muffled.

"I hereby beg you, don't let it down."

After a brief silence, Carlil spoke softly.

"I don't think I can promise you anything, Marshal Constance Dante. It's too early to say that, isn't it? ”

"I can't promise you that I won't live up to it. Because I don't know where the boundaries of this trust are, everyone thinks differently. One day, I may do something that none of you can understand......"

He stopped talking, and smiled softly at the gaze of the Janissary Marshal.

"So—so be it, Combo Dante Valdo. The only guarantee I can give you, is only one. ”

"Please."

"I'm not going to turn into a dragon." Carlil said in a deep voice. "Because I already have a blade hanging over my head."

-----------------

"What is this?"

"A knife."

"I know it's a knife, Ferus - but my question is, what is it?"

Vogrim looked in shock at the blade that was resting between his brother's hands, and whispered, "Whose weapon is this?" ”

"Conrad's."

"You built it?!"

"Of course not...... I'll only craft weapons. ”

Ferus looked up and glanced at the Chemus. The latter's expression was in full view of him, and as a result, the corners of his mouth curled silently.

"And this knife is clearly not a weapon." He said. "It has gone beyond the range of weapons...... It reminds me of certain myths and legends of blades. ”

As he spoke, he raised his hand and grasped the weapon with his right hand. It fits quietly in the palm of his hand, not very welcoming.

Ferus let out a noncommittal groan.

“...... It's funny. He whispered.

"Interesting?"

"yes, interesting...... If only Vulcan were here. ”

"Hey!"

"I didn't say you're inferior to him in blacksmithing, you and I both know it's true—but, since you're not going to rest, come and help me."

"What?"

"Come and help me, Fogen." Ferrus repeated. "I need to make a proper grip for it...... I can make it sturdy, but not necessarily aesthetically pleasing, so I need your help. ”

"Hah! Do you still need Vulcan at this time? ”

“......”

Ferus didn't speak, just sighed.