Exeter, on the road leading to Longxiao City in the Black Sand Territory. Pen, fun, pavilion www. biquge。 info

"I would like to advise Your Highness to put away those two flags...... Especially the star flag with the double cross. In the midst of the marching Northland soldiers, Viscount Cambida rode to the side of the heavily surrounded Tails with the reins in his hand, and said to the second prince of the stars, despite the unfavorable expressions of Putile and Wya, beside him:

"Although we have two thousand well-trained Northland elves, many of whom are still standing troops around the Grand Duke, it is obviously not the best choice to let everyone along the way know that the Star Prince is here. ”

Tails had no intention of paying attention to the snow on either side of his journey, the distant mountains and the occasional smoke of cooking in front of him, and the reason he had missed the snow-capped mountains of the Northland was partly because he was still thinking about what Ramon had said two days earlier, and partly because of the horses beneath him.

Now he was riding alone, carefully steering the horse beneath him, lest it flick his back from time to time, and Rolf nervously followed him, ready to lift his little employer with the force of the wind at any moment.

Although Genie and Gilbert had given him almost every trick of riding in the original territory of more than a month in Mindis Hall, Tails seemed to be born to fight horses, whether it was the foal in Mindis Hall or the normally tame and obedient Northland aristocratic horse loaned by the Grand Duke of Rumba under him, and specially equipped with a children's saddle, all of them clearly rejected his riding and even approached.

That's right, saddle...... Didn't Ramon say that this was also invented by the mages?

So, magic, can be described as the science of this world?

And what's going on with the magic power?

Unfortunately, the conversation that day was quickly interrupted by Kambida, and it seemed that he would have to find another chance next time.

Tails breathed a sigh of relief as he watched with trepidation as the horses below him stepped over an uneven snow pit.

"I thought it should be an international practice for the mission to show the apparent identity of the flag," Tails turned his head and looked at Kambida helplessly, while carefully paying attention to the disgruntled mount, "Besides, the army of two thousand people stretches for hundreds of meters in front and back, such a big movement, even if I don't put up the flag, don't people know that the Prince of Stars has set foot on the territory of Exeter?"

"Or does the Grand Duke of Rumba feel that it is not beneficial to be too close to the Prince of the Stars at this time?"

Kambida smiled: "Please Your Highness, you believe in the Grand Duke's ......"

But Putile interrupted him.

"It is necessary to send two thousand men to ensure that the prince does not die in his own domain, and to show his hostility to the stars to his own people," Putile sneered, slowly smoking his pipe, "The situation of the Grand Duke of Rumba is actually very difficult...... Mobilizing the territory at any cost, but failing to take the Broken Dragon Fortress, is really too nerve-wracking. ”

Kambida's face turned a little ugly.

It was not evident when he was in a hurry and in battle, but Tyers had a feeling that, once he began to make contact with people, the deputy envoy Putileh seemed to return to the battlefield where he was most at ease, and Cambida came to Tails several times on the way, deliberately stirring up political topics, all of which he pushed back with sometimes humorous and sometimes embarrassing words.

"You should speak directly to King Nunn, not one of the advisors of the Grand Duke of the Black Sands. This was Putirai's explanation in private.

Rumba had officially withdrawn his troops two days earlier, and the mission had departed at the same time.

In the bumps of the horse, they will go out of the northern plains today and enter the Hills of Sighs, the southwest of the hills is still the territory of the Black Sand Domain, but the northeast of the hills is the territory of the Grand Duke of Exter's Re-Created Tower, the Trudida family.

Although he did not hesitate to reject his offer of goodwill and alliance in front of the other party, the Grand Duke of Rumba generously allocated 2,000 men, among whom the standing army was to protect Tails on the way, and the levies were gradually disbanded and returned home on the way.

Tails didn't know whether to call it the Archduke's generosity or hypocrisy, or both.

At this moment, a knight in a gray helmet in front separated from the infantry and rode to their side.

Tails could feel Edda, who was riding on the horse behind him, slowly transitioning from a state of boredom to a state of tension - in fact, after being soaked in that fluctuation, Tails's senses seemed to have improved slightly but subtly.

It seems that the fluctuation is not just an emergency moment, its presence is slowly changing Tails' body...... But that's exactly what Tails fears most.

He didn't quite remember what had happened during the time he had been "killed" by Serena's neck, or briefly unconscious. But Tails always felt like he had been through something important, and when he woke up, that fluctuation appeared.

"Ahead is the Lyman Pass," the Grey Helmet Knight in front of him, the Arctic Master who had confronted Alaka on the battlefield before, the Fiery Knight Tulha, solemnly reined over his horse's head, walked in the same direction as Tails, and said solemnly: "There is a village there, we can rest and eat, and then continue our march in the afternoon, while the scouts go to investigate...... After all, it will soon be under the jurisdiction of the Grand Duke of the Rebuilding Tower. ”

Tails keenly noticed that when Tulha finished saying "Lyman Pass", both Putile's and Wya's faces sank slightly, and the corners of Kambida's mouth curled.

"What does Your Highness think?" Before the others could speak, Kambida smiled at Tails, "Whether it is for practical or personal reasons, I would suggest that you take a break at the Lyman Pass for a moment to repair or hang yourself." ”

Personal reasons?

By hanging?

In Tails' confusion, Putile rode up to him and sighed deeply:

"The Lyman Pass is the southwestern starting point of the Hills of Sighs, and the gateway to the hills from the northern plains," the thin lieutenant extinguished his pipe, frowning, and beside him Waia turned his head.

"But that's also where the former second prince of the stars, His Highness Horace, finally died in the Year of Blood. Putile's face was uncertain.

Tails' expression changed, and he understood why the other people's expressions had changed.

As the prince of the stars, Tails lowered his eyelids and sighed, "Of course, Horace is also my blood relative. ”

However, he was also muttering silently in his heart.

The genius finishing swordsman in Kessel's mouth, the royal general with fierce military regulations in Sonya's mouth, died here?

But it's also an opportunity to learn more about the truth about the Year of Blood.

He turned to Putile.

"The cause of the prince's death?"

"At the end of the year of blood, the winter was surprisingly warm, and King Nunn gathered an army of nearly 100,000 men of the seven Grand Dukes, well fed and armed, to besiege the meager fortress. Faced with Tails' question, Putile sighed and was the first to answer.

"At that time, the southwest battlefield of Xingchen China reached the final decisive juncture - Duke John bit the last main force of the rebels in the blade gap, and the victory of the counterinsurgency battle was expected, but this also meant that they could not go north to rescue, and the backup of the Broken Dragon Fortress was far away," Putilai shook his head, put away his pipe, and said with a complicated look in his eyes:

"Trebuchets, siege crossbows, magic guns, and countless troops ascending the city, in the face of a never-ending onslaught and no sacrifice at any cost, Prince Horace decided that it was only a matter of time before the Broken Dragon Fortress was breached, so he ventured into the attack, and with a small number of troops, he secretly crossed the Great Needle Forest and broke into the rear of Exeter's supply line. ”

Wyaa let out a deep sigh.

The next to answer was the commander of the Exeters.

"It was a risky choice," Cambida chuckled, "Obviously, it was a miscalculation by the stars...... Horace lost his gamble and paid for it......"

Wyah looked at him indignantly.

"That's a good choice, at least to your heart. Putirai replied with a cold snort.

Tails frowned, not knowing how to answer for a moment.

In his capacity, it is better not to say anything at this time.

He had heard Gilbert's royal tragedy of the Scarlet Years, and in his story, Horace had fallen into the trap of the Exeters.

Gilbert's statement that "there were no soldiers for three hours" seems to imply that Horace's death was the same as that of other members of the royal family: it was framed.

But listening to what Putile and Kambida say, it seems that Horace himself took the risk and took the blame?

And at such a distance from the border of the stars, isn't it normal to have "three hours without soldiers and no help"?

He needed to know more.

Tulha, who was beside them, spoke out at this time:

"It was a wise choice. ”

Hearing this, Kambida looked at the fiery knight with an unhappy face.

Tulha's solemn voice made Tails frown:

"Horace was half the battle, he burned nearly a quarter of our supplies—our supply lines were too long and fragile, and this at least bought the Broken Dragon Fortress a lot of time," Tulha said in a deep voice, sounding like he was complaining about Horace:

"Had it not been for our early detection, King Nunn would have halted the siege, withdrawn the main forces of the front, and set up an ambush on the way back to the fortress......"

"Yes, we blocked Horace's way back from the Great Needle Grove and forced him to the plain," Viscount Cambida snorted, as if not very satisfied: "It's like rounding up a fox." ”

Putira's face sank, Tails was embarrassed, and Waiya had an unhappy look.

No one of the Stars should be happy to hear an Exeter tell the story of how they strangled the Prince of the Stars.

"It is not fair to say so, for he has only over a thousand men," said Lord Tulha again, and heard him speak in a heavy voice:

"With nearly twenty times the number of troops, we surrounded Horace on the plain, but his warriors were the elite of a hundred battles, and their will was as tenacious as the Northlanders, and under their counterattack, the troops of the Grand Duke of Elk City suffered heavy casualties, and the battle flags of the Grand Duke of Fengzhao City and the Grand Duke of Weilan even wavered and retreated for a time. ”

"King Nunn had to use his troops on a rotational basis, and he sent his elite white-knuckle guards to plug the gap to stabilize the front. The battlefield was so miserable that the black smoke burned so much that even the fortress could be seen...... If the Broken Dragon Fortress had sent troops to the rescue at that time, and had broken through from the side in the chaotic battlefield, there might be a chance to save your prince. ”

Putile clenched the reins.

Tails was stunned.

"But they didn't send troops?" Tails wondered, remembering the siege he had encountered under the fortress a few days ago, "The fortress didn't send troops?"

"No, I still remember," said Tulha lightly, "from the afternoon until dark, the people in the fortress watched Horace's troops fall one by one on the plain...... ”

[No soldiers and no help for three hours]

Tails remembered Gilbert's words and frowned.

"On this point," said Putile, with a straight face, "the choice of the fortress makes sense. ”

"Come on," Kambida snorted coldly, "Their behavior of not saving them when they see death makes even us Exeters feel chilled when they see it." ”

To leave somebody in the lurch?

Tails tightened the reins and gritted his teeth to withstand a bump in the horse.

Kambida glanced at Tails with a hint of meaning, "Of course, maybe they're just as cautious as the Fortress Flower two days ago. ”

"Who?" Tails asked, turning his head with confusion, "Who is it?"

Putile's face grimaced, looking at Tails.

"Go on," Cambida chuckled, "tell your Royal Highness, who is responsible for Horace's death...... It's no secret. ”

Tails suddenly realized that it didn't seem appropriate to talk about this in front of the Exeters.

Putile glared at Kambida dissatisfied, but he sighed and gave the answer:

"At that time, the northern border was in crisis, and His Majesty ordered the surrounding nobles to come to the rescue, and the largest reinforcements came from the Cliff Territory...... The closest Duchy of the Stars to the North. ”

Putile looked at Tails' expression worriedly, until he confirmed that Tails had not changed much in mood, and said:

"And after Horace left, the commander of the Broken Dragon Fortress was naturally the second highest person at that time," I heard the deputy envoy say slowly: "The former Duke of the Cliff Territory - Rudolf Nantop." ”

Tails was slightly stunned.

Putira's eyebrows furrowed, but he continued: "That is, the current Duke of Cliffland, the elder brother of the 'One-Eyed Dragon' Quoid Nanpust. Later, the Broken Dragon Fortress was breached, and he was captured by Exeter, eventually dying in prison. ”

As the words fell, Tails' heart shook violently.

Former Duke of Nandtopher...... That is, the brother of the current Duke of Nantop, is it related to the strange death of Horace who is suspected of being framed?

At least, when Horace was besieged, the one-eyed dragon's brother stood by and even died.

Yes.

Importantly, does Kessel think so?

What about the one-eyed dragon, what did he think?

What does he think Kessel will think?

And the one-eyed dragon's dead brother...... Is it really......

Also, the words of the one-eyed dragon when he set out for Eternal Star City......

Tails thought about the relationship, and his eyebrows tightened.

Putile patted Tails in the saddle and shook his head at him.

Don't overthink it...... Tails thought he meant it.

"And then, Horace probably felt that there was no hope of returning to the fortress," said Tulha, the fiery knight, stroking a sheathed knife in his saddle, and smiling bitterly in a look of remembrance, "He made a decision that no one expected. ”

Putile shook his head, his face lonely.

Tails raised an eyebrow: "What did he- Horace do?"

"He doesn't break through in the direction of the fortress anymore," Tulha said with an admiring smile on his face: "Like you, Horace turned and went out in reverse, all the way to the north. ”

Tails' heart moved.

Like us?

He remembered what the man known as Kingdom Wrath had said to him on the battlefield a few days earlier, before breaking through to the Rumba banner.

[A long time ago, in a desperate situation, a bright star said to me......]

[Since there is no way to go back. 】

[Why don't you go all out?]

So...... What Alaca is saying is......

"For a whole day and a night, they fled here, and we, the army of the Black Sand Lords, also pursued here. With a complicated expression, Tulha raised his hand and pointed to the snow-colored hills that began to rise and fall in front of him.

Tails looked away.

They came to the end of the plain, and black peaks covered the top half of the snow-colored mountains began to appear in front of them.

Between the two low peaks, there is only one narrow entrance, which is only the width of the gallop.

The Exeters' ranks marched slower and slower until they stopped.

"Here we are. Viscount Cambida said lightly:

"This is the Lyman Pass. ”

――――

"This is the battlefield back then?" Tails asked Tulha on the side with a strange feeling, looking at a strange rock covered in snow in front of him.

"We have bitten them and besieged them here again, while the last remaining troops of Horace are holding on to the rock," Tulha nodded, and said with a deep look in his eyes, "The former Grand Duke of Black Sands lit torches, personally led his guards to besiege without interruption, and ordered that he should not use a bow and crossbow - he wanted to gain the glory of capturing the Star Prince alive." ”

Horace himself held his sword, wore his black armor, and stood under his nine-pointed star battle flag, no matter how many people around him fell in the sword and axe, and did not take a step back. ”

The best warriors on both sides roared and pounced on each other, and then fell among the stones one by one, and that night, despite the outnumbered numbers, the four Extreme Realm masters on our side were still wounded, and one of them even died there. ”

Talking about the history on the battlefield, the Fire Knight seemed to be very emotional, while Kambida kept silent and just frowned and looked at Tulha.

"Horace pierced me in the chest with a sword, and before he could make up for it, I was snatched by someone behind. Tulha sighed and touched his right breast.

Tails frowned.

The Sword of Light, huh?

"His Royal Highness Horace's swordsmanship has been cultivated from the Tower of the End, and has been washed by armies and battlefields, and his name for bravery is only comparable to the 'wolf enemy' in the history of the Bright Star Royal Family. Putirai looked at a strange rock in front of him with a deep expression and said slowly.

Tails felt Edda behind him snort slightly.

The old Grand Duke of Black Sand gave up his purpose—he realized that his intention to capture Horace alive would only cost us more casualties. ”

"In the final fierce battle, Horace, who had been wounded for more than a decade, cut off the head of Tyrunde, the 'Unrest of Fire', and then was pierced through the heart with a sword. Tulha hurried forward, staring at a half-man-high stone, as if returning to the night of the sword and sword twelve years ago.

"A prince died here," Cumbida shook his head, "and this place will probably become a tourist memorial in the future." ”

Wya's glaring at him mercilessly.

"Yes," replied Putirai sarcastically, "you ought to build a statue of Prince Horace...... Commemorate his bravery and fearlessness, as well as his good fighting against the enemy. ”

Tails sighed, closed his eyes, and bowed his head deeply at the strange rocky field.

Another group of people who were unfortunate in the war.

"As Horace fell, his last soldiers lost their fighting spirit, and just when we thought it was the end of it, one of Horace's soldiers snatched the bow left behind by Tyrund in the confusion. Tulha continued quietly.

Kambida's face changed suddenly.

Tails raised his eyebrows, with a hint of surprise: "You mean ......"

Tulha looked to the south and exhaled a long breath:

"The soldier, carrying Horace's body on his back, with the bow, covered with wounds and several crossbow arrows, howled like a madman, and rushed into the encirclement with the last of his men, and for some reason our men could not stop him—until he burst into front of the old Grand Duke of Black Sands, and then ......"

Tulha smiled meaningfully and snorted softly:

In the chaos, the soldier disappeared into the night. ”

"From then on, Araka Mu was known as 'Kingdom Fury.' Tulhamo clutched his sword, his eyes full of war.

Tails took a deep breath and looked at the strange rock from afar.

But he didn't see that twelve years ago there had been countless warriors here, that a prince had fallen, and that another legend had become famous.

No, there are still some doubts.

Tyles turned to Tulha:

"So, Lord Tulha, you experienced the battle between the two countries twelve years ago, including how to break through the Broken Dragon Fortress?"

"I fought in that war," the Fire Knight nodded, "but as I said earlier, thanks to Prince Horace's sword, I was wounded in the early stages of the war, and by the time I returned to the battlefield, it was already in the late stages of the war a few months later. At that time, Sonia Sutherre took her Starlight Legion and collected the remnants of the defeated army along the way, including Mu, and went north to fight us several times. ”

"Oh," Tails thought to himself, "You've fought with the Fortress Flowers?"

Should I say that it is indeed one of Exeter's "five generals"?

"No, I don't have a chance to fight her," Tulha frowned, "because of some despicable villain." ”

"Despicable villain?" Tails was stunned: "Who?"

"I don't know," Viscount Cambida laughed, "the little trick of the stars...... Tulha has always been haunted. ”

Don't know who it is?

Hold a grudge?

Just listen to Exeter's fiery knight Tulha snort coldly:

"On the battlefield, a damn guy dressed as one of us, lurking behind my back. When I was about to break through the enemy formation and attack the center of the Starlight Legion's formation, that despicable creature gave me a ...... from behind."

'I was seriously injured again and I couldn't get enough of a direct confrontation with Suthreh or Moukhail. ”

Tulha frowned:

"I still remember that damn despicable assassin hiding his head and tail as he fled, hiding himself behind a strange purple mask, using a short gray sword, elusive and extremely fast. ”

Tails let out a strange "oh" and scratched his head.

Dress up as someone else

Gave the enemy a shot from behind.

Purple mask.

Gray dagger.

Unpredictable and extremely fast.

These traits and habits...... Where do you think you've heard it?

Behind him, Edda snorted softly again.

"Yes," looking at Tulha's cold eyes, Tails frowned, nodded awe-inspiringly, "This kind of practice is really despicable!"

(To be continued.) )