"Boy, I know what you're thinking. Pen × fun × Pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 info Nature.2 But if you continue to look at me with that strange look......"

Eda walked to the side of Tails' mount, her fists clenched, the knuckles of her index fingers prominent, and her tone was extremely impatient, "You know what's going to happen. ”

"Okay. Curious, Tails stuck out his tongue and turned his head away.

"If you don't want to answer, forget it. ”

[Anti-theft, in the meantime, you might as well take a look at this chapter]

The traverser sighed slightly in his heart.

Eda let out a soft breath, resealing the memories of the past in her heart.

Bright Star.

Damn the stars.

"But then again, Ada, how did you become the secret guardian of the Bright Star Royal?" Tails asked faintly, looking at the vague mountains that were gradually revealing in front of him, "How could an elf be employed by the human kingdom of the stars?"

"I've heard that they are all very proud, and they are unique in their service to humanity. ”

Eda bowed her head slightly.

"Hey, boy," the elf's voice sounded awkward, "I told you, I'm not your family's bodyguard. ”

"And ......"

Eda folded her arms and said with disdain in her tone, "As a little kid, how much do you know about elves?"

Tails stuck out his tongue and shook his head helplessly.

This suspicious elf, this elf who has lived for perhaps hundreds of years and has met the former virtuous kings Mindis and Prince Kayla, must have a colorful story.

It's just a character......

Just as the team had crossed a snow-covered hillside, Putileh rode his mount to Tails' side, and saw the thin lieutenant with a solemn face and a hand pointing in the direction they were heading: "We have arrived." ”

Tails reacted, quickly raised his head, and looked down the hill.

In the blurred vision of the snow, a silver-black giant appeared in front of the mountains.

No, not giants.

Its silhouette in the snow appeared dimly in the distance—a majestic city built against a mountain.

Red and black flags could be faintly seen fluttering over the city.

I saw that its gray and black walls were dotted with silver-white falling snow, and the highest point of the city just fell on the top of the mountains, looking from afar, like a giant leaning on the snow-capped mountains, standing on the northern land in the arch of many surrounding villages and towns.

Tails motioned for Wya's restless mount to stop.

He took a deep breath of the cold wind peculiar to the north, and quietly looked at the thick and powerful Xiongcheng in the distance, and a small excitement swelled in his heart.

This is the Northern Dragon, the capital of the Kingdom of Exeter?

Before they knew it, they had crossed the Willan Snow Field and entered a new territory.

"It is the first time I have seen such a spectacle," said Nicolai, who rode to them, the corners of his mouth curled up, and his face full of nostalgia and reverence, "a huge city with mountains on its back, the largest, the most majestic, the most magnificent, and the oldest in history. ”

"A sacred place in the hearts of the Northlanders. ”

"Longxiao City. ”

At this time, there was an untimely snort on the side.

"It wasn't originally called Longxiao City. ”

Nicolas turned his gaze to the star guest who interjected.

"It was established as early as the time of the kings and was one of the northern gathering places of mankind. And in the time of the Ancient Empire, it was the central capital of the Northland provinces of the former Empire," Putirai took Nicolai's words with a blank face:

"The hillside fortress, formerly known as Aarendburg, was home to the Arende family, who ruled the Northlands by the order of the Emperor, and after the collapse of the empire, it was plunged into three hundred years of chaos and alternating powers. Until one day, the armies of Necaju and Tormund met nearby and won the first victory of the end battle. ”

"It was Necajou who led the army to the aid of the precarious Tormond," Nicolai shook his head indifferently, 'correcting' the words of the Stellar people with his own opinion, "Hence the call 'Reversal of the Cold Wind' - it is said that in a clearing near here, Necajou's troops marched and routed the enemy from the rear, almost as if they had fallen from the sky. ”

Tails pouted helplessly.

Well, again a small "difference of opinion" between the Exeters and the Starmen, the Northlanders and the Imperials.

And—though they were all Northlanders, Nicolai seemed to be even more stubborn than Kambida.

Sure enough, Putile let out a breath with a disapproving look on his face.

"So, how did this place become the capital of Exeter?" Tails immediately spoke up appropriately, interrupting the "heated discussion" that the two of them saw was about to begin.

Nicolai motioned for them to continue on their march, and the commander of the White Guard, riding his horse, began to speak slowly, like a real receptionist:

"This land centered on Longxiao City belongs to the Walton family, the family from Nunn VII, and the most famous ruling family in Exeter, which has passed on the title of Grand Duke of Longxiao City for generations. ”

"The hero of humanity, Necaru Aix, became lord of this place more than 600 years ago, and here he allied with the Nine Knights, vowing to defend the Northlands and their homeland in the chaos that follows the end of the war, and to restore the pride of the Northlanders. ”

"From that time on, the proud Northlanders called the new kingdom 'Exeter,' and the Exeter League was born. ”

The following year, the Nine Horsemen returned to the area and appointed Nakaju Aix, the king whom the people of the Northland sincerely believed and swore to follow, while the Nine Horsemen led the way to defend Longxiao City. ”

"This is the end of the history of the Alliance, and the history of the Kingdom of Exeter begins. ”

In the spirit of rotation and fairness, the supreme ruler of Exeter, the co-king, was chosen from among the ten archdukes, and the rest obeyed his authority and commands—a vow made by Necajou to rule together, and his prestige and influence continue to this day. ”

"Because His Majesty Nunn holds the title of Grand Duke of Longxiao City, Longxiao City has also become the capital of the entire Exeter. ”

At this moment, a Herald of the Black Sand Collar made his way through the obstacles of the White-Bladed Guards to Nicolais and asked him to meet with Viscount Kambida.

After Nicolas left, Tails turned his head and looked at Putira.

"You have something to say. "The traverser is definitely authentic.

"Of course," the deputy envoy shook his head with disdain, "don't believe our hot-blooded friends in the Northland, his nonsense of 'ruling in turn and rule fairly' is used to deceive the people of the Northland, in fact, in the Northland, or anywhere in the world, it has always been the power that speaks, and the strength is the king." ”

"Oh?" Tails chuckled softly, "Now that that hot-blooded Northland friend is gone, would you mind talking more, my knowledgeable deputy, the versatile Northlander?"

Putile put his hand into his bosom and tried to take out his pipe, but he didn't know whether he cared for the tobacco or his conscience, and after hesitating for a few seconds, the former bard withdrew his hand in pain.

He then turned to the second prince and said, "I don't know if you have noticed, the first ruler of Longxiao City, the first co-king of Exeter, is Nekaru Aix. But the city we see now was under the reign of Nunn Walton VII. ”

Tails reacted quickly: "Aix and Walton, these are two surnames - that is, after Necaju, it is not his direct blood relatives who inherit his name and title?"

Putirai raised an eyebrow and nodded: "The real history, or the history that the stars can turn to, is that Necaru, who died young, did not give birth to an heir, and the position of lord of Longxiao City left behind after his death was inherited by his nephew, Nunn Walton. ”

"That was the first Nunn of the Walton family after becoming the Lord of Longxiao City, Nunn I. ”

"Since then, the Walton family, marked by the dragon lance in the clouds, has taken over the land and the city and has ruled to this day. ”

However, Nunn I's bloodline led the lords to question his legitimacy, and aroused the lords' desire to co-claim the throne of king - no matter how many times he emphasized that his mother was Nekajou's sister, so Nunn himself was the closest to the orthodox heir of the previous king, Nekajou, could not extinguish the ambition of the nine lords, even if they were all knightly models loyal to Nekajou. ”

Tails frowned slightly.

At this moment, he thought not of Necaru and his nine knights, but of the huge portrait in the center of the Mindis Hall: a scarred young knight charging fearlessly in the company of six men on the battlefield of the setting sun.

The Revival King of the Stars, Tormund Bright Star I, and the Six Horsemen around him, the Duke's family and the Six Giants of today's illustrious side.

Arrond of the Flying Eagle on a White Background, Cullen of the Sun Sword and Shield, Kevendier of the Tricolor Iris, Falkenhause of the Four-Eyed Skull, Nanthost of the Bighorn Deer, and Tebuck of the Blood Moon.

They, even the ancestors of the Thirteen Clans, fought by Tormund's side back then.

Were they also "loyal" to the King of Revival?

Just like the nine knights, the nine lords behind Nekajou?

"For the legitimate succession to the throne of Exeter, Nunn I of Longxiao City broke out into a violent conflict with the Nine Knights and their descendants. Putile continued: "After the war, the stalemate and confrontation between the major lords lasted for decades, and at that time Exeter was almost ten pieces, called a country, but in fact they were enemies and incompatible with each other. ”

During this time, the remnants of the empire eventually established a new and insignificant state on the banks of the Muhe River in the south, in the territory of the former Shawen Province, began to slowly rise and expand to the periphery. ”

Tails replied with understanding: "Tormond I, King of Revival?"

"Yes," Putile nodded, his eyes shining with a strange color, "Star Kingdom." ”

"Eventually, under pressure from the emerging Star Kingdom, Nunn I and the Nine Lords reached the final and most awkward compromise. ”

With the joint support of the Nine Lords, Nunn Walton succeeded to the throne of Co-King. In the name of the great king Necajou, Nunn I redefined the territory of Exeter, and canonized the ten lords, including himself, as the ten orthodox archdukes of the kingdom of Exeter. But after the death of Nunn I, the throne had to be re-elected among the ten archdukes, who voted for a new co-king, who ruled for life, and so on, and so on, and the system of electoral councils was established and lasted for 600 years. ”

"It's called the 'Oath of Harmony of Nekaju' - because it is an oath made by ten people in the name of Necajou and signed by Necajo, and ironically, it has nothing to do with Necajo at all. ”

"Wait," Tails was stunned for a moment, "Elect the king...... I just had a rough look at the Mindis Hall...... Do the ten Grand Dukes vote together to choose one of themselves?"

"What if there happens to be someone with the same number of votes? Is there a mature system and system to determine the smooth birth of the king at the election meeting?"

Tails remembered a magical movie from his previous life, in which the pirates elected the Pirate King, only to have each candidate vote for him.

"Yes, and it's simple, direct, effective, and full of Northland romance. Putile whispered, "The customs inherited from the empire, inherited from the glory days of the knights, were continued in Exeter, in order to determine the king's attribution when the Grand Dukes were in a difficult position." ”

"Inherited from the customs of the empire, to determine the king's belonging?" Tails gripped the reins of his horse, remembering what he had heard in the Heroes' Tavern in Kaslan, and couldn't help but be surprised: "You mean ......"

"Hmm," Putile nodded, his eyes complicated, and he gently spat out a powerful word:

"Duel. ”

Tails froze.

"When the Divine Elector is unable to make the final decision, the candidate for the king, regardless of age or status, must prove himself in the dueling arena. ”

"Prove that you have the courage to be worthy of the king, the courage to lead the people of the Northlands, the fearlessness to look down on life and death in duels, and the final victory in the dueling arena. ”

Hearing this, Tails's mind suddenly appeared with the face of Chaman Rumba, the Grand Duke of the Black Sands, flickering in the firelight, and the old sword on his desk, which was all worn out.

They are Northlanders after all.

Tails suddenly realizes that although he has set foot in the territory of Exeter in the north, his knowledge of them is still in its infancy.

The Northland, a country known for its strength and iron will, is much more complex and strange than I imagined.

And I'm about to face them.

"Go on," Tails frowned solemnly, "Before meeting them, I want to get to know the Grand Dukes of Exeter." ”

"Like, their relationship with the co-king?"

Putile only paused slightly, then nodded and continued: "The Grand Dukes of Exeter have absolute autonomy in their own domains, and they only have the obligation to obey the Gongju King and send troops in wartime, but they do not have to pay taxes to the Gongju King, and the affairs of the territory are purely self-determined, and whether or not to accept and implement the king's decree of the whole territory is completely up to the Archdukes themselves. ”

"The power of the Grand Duke of Exeter is a little too much," Tails showed surprise on his face, and he inhaled slightly as he marched: "Exeter has not split up so far, can it be said to be a miracle?"

"Yes, that's why they're called 'archduke', not dukes of the Imperial Age," Ptirai sighed, "In a way, Exeter, born out of compromise, is more divided than our Star Kingdom. ”

"Their autonomy in their own realm is far greater than that of the dukes of the stars. At least, no matter how stingy and reluctant he is, Duke Cullen will allocate a batch of money from the East China Sea Territory every year to pay a sufficient amount of taxes to Yongxing City and His Majesty. The appointment and dismissal of important officials of the stars and the demotion of nobles must be in accordance with the "Sacred Star Covenant", and even reviewed by the warrant of the Supreme King. Therefore, if the dukes want to interfere in the politics of the kingdom, the fastest way is to meddle in the central department of Yongxing City, or to infiltrate the local officials of the kingdom through the influence of the territory. ”

Tails shook his head: "Then what is the meaning of the existence of the co-king, if he can't even restrain his subordinate grand dukes, then why should he become the co-king?"

Putileo pondered for a moment, and then replied earnestly: "For the sake of high prestige, the obedience of the lord, and the name of orthodoxy." ”

Tails frowned again.

"This thing works much more in the Northlands than in the stars, and a Northlander, no matter how uncultured, knows that the authority of the King of the Commons cannot be violated, and that the oath of Necaru cannot be violated," Putile continued, reflecting on his knowledge:

"Historically, the Grand Dukes of Exeter have rebelled against the Commoner King three times, but each time they have failed, because no matter how much the Archdukes who raised the banner against the Crowning of the King, if they openly flouted the oath of Necajou, they would lose the hearts of their people, and even the most greedy Northlanders would not fight for them—some of the Grand Dukes would even withdraw from Exeter's rule forever. ”

Tails looked at Longxiao City in the distance, slowly exhaled a breath of hot air in his cold hands, and thought carefully.

High prestige.

Orthodox name.

The allegiance of the people.

Northland's traditional culture?

"It's so simple. After a few seconds, Tails said lightly.

"Huh?" said Putile, looking puzzled.

"I mean, it would be too simplistic to attribute the power that sustained the stability and unity of Exeter to the prestige of Necaju and the character and traditions of the Northlanders. Tails lowered his head and pondered carefully:

"Human behaviour and social power structures are always mutually influential, and there can be no situation in which behaviour unilaterally reinforces the structure while the social structure has no effect on human behaviour -- no matter how much the people of the Northland may behave in a noble manner, revere their ancestors, and respect their traditions, they will not be able to sustain such a state system. ”

"A power structure that is destined to be divided and shattered will only have the same effect on the Northlanders. They were destined to be under different lords, different interests, different institutional structures. In the process of the disappearance and birth of generations and social changes, behaviors and motivations have evolved in line with the structure of the times. ”

"In Exeter's strange divided system, it's hard for the Northlanders not to fight each other against each other. ”

Right.

Tails nodded secretly.

This is the society he knows.

Exeter, however, ......

"Do you have more ideas?" asked Putira, squinting his eyes as he pondered Tails' words, "Why don't you speak up and listen?"

The second prince pondered for a moment, then spit out the words: "Stars." ”

Tails raised his head and said affirmatively, "Kingdom of the Stars." ”

Putira's eyes flashed, waiting for the prince's answer.

"As you just said, the expansion and strength of the stars should also contribute to the stability and unity of Exeter to a certain extent. Tails patted his mount on the crotch, causing a commotion among the horses that were already at odds with him.