The prince and the duke, both of them were silent for a while.

"So that's what you're here for. ”

Tails pulled out the dagger that was stuck at the head of the bed, tossed a flower in the air, and grabbed the handle with unmistakable precision in the flip of the blade—a move that became more skillful and easy after countless fights.

Looking at the prince's actions, Cyril's eyes narrowed slightly.

Tails raised the tip of his blade and muttered for a while:

"Do you want to win me over to join you, to become a third party outside of the two camps, and to hold the Xingchen, a carriage that runs faster and faster, between the iron whip of the rider and the galloping hooves of the fierce horse?"

Third.

At that moment, it was as if the clouds on the horizon had blocked the sunlight, and the room darkened.

The Duke of the West Wilderness's hands pressed and pressed on the crutches.

"A fierce horse will not succumb to the whip of iron, nor will the rider give up the whip," he said, with sharp eyes:

"And no one in the carriage, whoever it is, can sit back and wait for it to fall apart. ”

Tails flicked the blade between his fingers.

"So. ”

Tails snorted lightly, and very impolitely pointed the tip of his blade at the duke:

"All of this, including your inexplicable appearance, drawing your sword to intimidate and alarmist, and being serious and old-spirited, just for this moment?"

Tails stared at Cyril with a smirk.

Cyril looked at him for a moment, snorting softly.

"You think I'm going to go out on the street and bring a random fourteen-year-old cub and tell him this?"

Cyril said coldly:

"If I can't confirm what kind of person you are first, if you're just an incompetent soft-asss who is greedy for life and afraid of death, if you're just an impulsive little kid who has been raised by the Northerners with a brain full of muscles, if you're just a ** idiot who thinks he knows the truth of the universe just by reading a few history book catalogs......"

Tails raised an eyebrow.

The Duke squinted at him and said disdainfully:

"Then you don't deserve so much to say. ”

The boy was slightly stunned.

Tails exhaled and shoved the dagger back under his pillow:

"You know, if you're going to woo me in a way that compliments me, you can actually use better words. ”

I saw the Duke of the Western Wilderness open his lips as if he was missing a piece of flesh, and laughed gloomily, like a dry corpse opening his mouth.

"Rest assured, there will be no shortage of beautiful words in your ears, the return of the prince is the first thing that shakes the stars, and countless eyes will be focused on you. ”

Cyril narrowed his eyes:

"But you have to be more careful and vigilant. ”

"Powerful noble lords will rush to you, win over the prince who has not returned for a long time, and do everything in their power to win you to their side, turning you into the vanguard against the Fuxing Palace. ”

Falkenhause's tone changed:

Before accepting their kindness, remember that they are only against your father, but they are not genuinely loyal to you. ”

Tails was silent.

He suddenly remembered the words of the fast rope.

[The shackles of power. 】

How is he going to do it...... A different way to live?

Thinking of this, Tails took a deep breath and looked up:

"They won't succeed. ”

But Cyril shook his head disdainfully:

"When I say 'woo,' I don't just mean knocking on the door and giving gifts. ”

Tails frowned and sneered:

"And maybe that includes drawing a sword and intimidating me, and then telling me, 'The carriage can't fall apart?'"

This time it was Cyril's turn to be silent.

After a few seconds, the duke said quietly:

"You know, there are some words that, to the vast majority of people in the world, can only be nonsense. ”

Tailston was confused.

Cyril snorted softly:

"Mark my words today. ”

He stretched out his finger and shook it from his mouth:

"All. ”

Cyril's eyes glistened with coldness:

"What if you can use it someday. ”

He paused for a second, then curled his lips a little wickedly:

"All. ”

Tails stared at the Duke with this appearance, and his heart was filled with discomfort.

But Cyril quickly changed the subject:

"You have to be more careful with your father than any of that. ”

Father.

Tails' nerves slowly tensed.

The sturdy figure reappeared in his mind, reminding him of the feeling of suffocation when facing the other party.

The duke's voice echoed in his ears with a different meaning:

"As you get older, maybe he will realize that you are no longer that poor child, and maybe he will also try to entrap you as a father and control you with the power of a king. ”

"But ......"

Falkenhause's tone changed again, but he suddenly fell silent, and the surroundings seemed to be cloudy in an instant, and the rain was not raining.

He stared at Tails tightly, his terrifying face and cold eyes making the latter's heart tense for a while.

"When news of the Exeter upheaval, the death of Nunn VII and the political reshuffle in the Northlands came six years ago, everyone was stunned. ”

The Duke's tone and rhythm became heavy and slow, reminding Tails of Putile, when he was telling the bard:

"Who would have thought that a few months ago, our old bones were still in a panic, lest the rebellious northerners go south again. ”

Cyril exhaled softly and pointed at Tails:

"But someone, someone just slighted it, and stabbed the invincible and aggressive dragon kingdom into a thousand holes, and they couldn't take care of themselves. ”

"You know, what that means?"

Domineering and aggressive......

Riddled with holes, too busy to take care of yourself......

What does that mean?

Tails couldn't help but think of the nightmare in Longxiao City.

Dragon's Blood.

He looked at Cyril pointing at him and cleared his throat unnaturally:

"You think too highly of me. ”

The prince sighed:

"Six years ago, it was just an accident, but it was a tragedy, and I didn't have much credit for it......"

Cyril interrupted him coldly: "I didn't say that it was your credit. ”

"Less self-inflicted and more sentimental. ”

Tails choked on the words, and his face became rather ugly.

The unpopular duke snorted coldly:

"As I said, from the end of the battle to the year of blood, Falkenhause has followed the Bright Star since ancient times. ”

He pointed to the Ancient Imperial Sword leaning against the wall.

"For nearly 700 years, the Cautionary has witnessed a lot of history," Cyril said.

"More than you think. ”

Tails felt Cyril's icy gaze, and a sense of foreboding came over him.

"So I know. ”

I only heard the Duke say softly:

"The so-called 'calamity descending into the world' in Longxiao City is definitely not an accident, or some rare coincidence. ”

Woe descends on the world.

Not an accident.

At that moment, Tails pressed his thigh tightly.

Thankfully, Cyril didn't look at him again.

The Duke paced to the window and looked at the camp faintly:

"Although each time they appear, they are cleverly covered up and obscured, rendered and whitewashed, and then lengthened over time, eventually becoming hearsay and bedtime stories for passers-by......"

"But I know that they exist, and they are real. ”

exists, and it's real.

Tails let out a sigh of relief.

He breathed deeply, masking the change in mood.

Cyril's voice grew sharper and more urgent:

"And every time they appear, they are inseparable from our world. ”

The next moment, the Duke of the Guardian of the Western Wilderness turned around suddenly, and his eyes shot straight at Tails like lightning!

"Whatever happened in Longxiao City, it was your father who did it. ”

He said categorically:

"He and Morat, that old viper, somehow. ”

Your father did it.

Tails looked back at each other silently, enduring the blood-colored memories that rolled back and forth in his mind.

But no matter how much he ignored it, he couldn't help but think of those images:

The blue light in Ashida's eyes, the purple lines on Giza's face, the tears between his cheeks, the scarred body of the black sword, and the strange mouth on Raphael's arm.

And......

The head of King Nunn that fell to the ground.

"Your father's chessboard is ruthless, and you don't know what his next move will be. ”

"It's ignoring the rules, or it's turning the chessboard upside down. ”

At this time, the duke's face was serious, and his tone was indifferent:

"Kid, be strong. ”

"Don't be a pawn to be manipulated and sacrificed at will. ”

Get somebody by the short hairs.

Sacrifice at will.

Feeling the obvious provocation of the other party, Tails took a deep breath and slowly exhaled it.

"I am his heir, and my interests are aligned with his. ”

The prince's tone was a little repulsive.

"My safety is related to the stability of his rule. ”

"And he's my father. ”

But this is just another ridicule from Cyril:

"Who knows. ”

Duke Falkenhause said coldly:

"Four hundred years ago, the 'ascending king' Elan Bright Star I killed his son to sacrifice to the gods in order to pray for victory. ”

Kill the son and sacrifice to the gods.

Tails' breath froze, and he clenched his fists.

The duke looked into the distance and said in a long tone:

"And every day, your father is making new history. ”

Tails closed his eyes.

"Your father and his enemies ......"

"Six years ago, because of your presence, the first round was decided. ”

"But six years later, from the day you came home, the second round started. ”

The duke's tone was a little frightened:

"And that doesn't get any easier. ”

The room fell silent again.

Until Tails slowly opened his eyes.

"Therefore, Your Excellency the Duke, is neither a nobleman nor a third party loyal to the royal power. ”

Cyril's eyes narrowed slightly, and he could feel that the prince at this moment was a little different.

"If that day comes," Tails looked straight at him:

"Can I count on your strength?"

The two were silent for a moment.

It's as if they all know what such a moment means.

After a few seconds, the Duke spoke slowly, without a hint of a smile on his face:

"If I were a one-eyed dragon in the cliffs, I would say 'yes'. ”

Tails snorted softly in his nose:

"But you're not. ”

The Duke nodded slowly, then shook his head:

"I'm not. ”

The prince sighed lightly.

Of course.

He understood.

But Tails then remembered something, and laughed.

"You know what, Northlanders don't ask, 'Can they do?' ”

The prince's tone was quite nostalgic:

"They just ask 'do it or not'. ”

The Duke couldn't help but be stunned.

But a few seconds later, Falkenhause chuckled:

"Sometimes I'm grateful to the Northlanders—even if they don't have the brains, at least they've raised an interesting prince for us. ”

Tails also laughed:

"This is the third time you've scolded them, why do you hate the Northlanders so much?"

Duke Cyril paused for a moment, his face complicated.

"Because my mother-in-law is a Northlander. ”

Tails was stunned for a moment.

His Excellency looked at Tails and waved his finger in a thoughtful manner: "A word of advice for you......"

"Don't learn from me. ”

Without waiting for the stunned Tails to react, the Duke of the Western Wilderness burst out laughing.

In the other party's sharp and mean laughter, Tails's face gradually turned cold.

"How do I know for sure?"

The Duke's laughter came to an abrupt end.

The prince stared at Cyril with caution:

"The third party—as much as you say it is fanciful, how do I know that you don't just want to push me to the forefront of the struggle and use me as a shield and battering ram?"

There was a moment of silence in the room.

Until Falkenhause let out a breath, as if he had figured something out.

He scoffed and looked back at Tails:

"A year ago, when you were still building a snowman in Longxiao City......"

"Your father has secretly sent a letter asking us to mobilize our troops in order to rescue his heir to the throne and return home. ”

Tails thought slightly:

A year ago?

The prince returned to China, how long did this chess game and this game last?

Cyril seemed to be distracted, and continued:

"The princes of the Western Wilderness, my vassals, thought they had seized a rare opportunity, and they took the opportunity to blackmail and blackmail, and wanted to return to the camp of the blade teeth from the 'escrow' of the royal family, and Your Majesty readily agreed. ”

Speaking of this, Duke Falkenhause's eyes lit up:

"But one of my courtiers once dissuaded me from sending troops, which he considered a trap with bad intentions. ”

Tails frowned.

The Duke looked coldly at the Bladetooth camp under the window, and suddenly turned around.

"But Falkenhause still sent troops. ”

"Even if I know there's a problem. ”

"Do you know why?"

Tails stared at him silently for a few seconds, looking away.

"You said it. ”

The prince looked away, with a slight sarcasm:

"In the face of vassals, you don't want to be the one who replaced the king and prevented the princes from regaining power, and fell in the middle of the blow. ”

He sneered:

"For example, now, aren't you just pushed out by them to find the field, a third party?"

This time, Falkenhause looked at him for a long time.

"Nope. ”

The Duke spoke slowly

"Because ......"

"From the ruthless King to the fanatical princes of the Western Wilderness, I am the only one among the participants in this power game. ”

The only one?

Tails was slightly stunned.

"When Wings of Legend and my vassals are staring at Camp Bladefang, and no one cares about what's going on in the desert, no one cares about the heir to the kingdom who is supposed to be the protagonist......"

Cyril slowly became serious:

"I'm the only one who believes......"

"I believe that compared to the belonging of the Blade Tooth Camp, compared to the power of the nobles, and compared to the success or failure of His Majesty......"

The Duke bent his back, almost pressed his head to the cane, glanced at Tails from afar, and his right hand on the cane pointed directly at the second prince:

"Rescue you, rescue Prince Tails Bright Star and return home safely. ”

"That's what everyone really cares about – number one priority. ”

Tails stared blankly at Falkenhause, with mixed feelings.

Cyril straightened up, hiding his old age and witheredness.

His eyes are sharp, as if they can penetrate everything.

"Okay. ”

Tails spoke with difficulty:

"You're not bad at saying pretty things......

But the Duke spoke again, interrupting him!

"So!"

"I've prevented some lords from secretly leaking information to the Exeter side and thwarting your return to China. ”

Cyril raised his voice.

Tails was stunned.

The Duke's tone became melodious, greatly reducing the sharpness of his voice:

"That's why Baron Gutz leads the most efficient of the Raven Sentry Light Cavalry, disobeying the orders of his immediate superiors, and sparing no effort to search for you, even the orcs. ”

Tails didn't react for a moment.

But he soon realized that something was wrong.

Baron Guz.

Raven Whistle Light Ride.

The familiar noun made Tails jerk his head up!

"Who?"

He glared at Cyril:

"Who are you talking about?"

But Falkenhause just looked at him with interest.

Two seconds later, the Duke seemed to have had enough of Tails' expression, and then said slowly:

"So ......"

"You and your caravan, after parting ways in the desert with the strange Kandar Nushan, you will be able to reach the Bladefang camp without hindrance. ”

Tails' mind paused for a moment.

Caravan.

Kandar Nushan.

The journey was smooth and unhindered......

No way.

Tails looked at the Duke with an indifferent face in a daze:

"How do you know—"

But Tails lowered his head and bit down on the next words.

He remembered.

"Baron Guz. ”

Tails subconsciously said:

"I met in the desert, the commander who pursued the orcs with the freak squad......"

Tails raised his head and looked straight at Cyril, but he couldn't hide the surprise in his tone:

"He's your man?"

Cyril chuckled, confident and relaxed.

"Before being made Baron of Amorey, a member of the House of Chloma, Van Könke Gutz was my courtier. ”

The room was quiet for a few seconds.

Until Tails exhaled with difficulty.

"So ......"

He asked incredulously:

"Whether I've met an army in the desert or I've entered Camp Fang, you've always been ...... You know?"

And.

If the baron was his man, he heard it in my tavern......

The Duke let out an unsettling chuckle.

"Why. ”

At that moment, Cyril's gloomy sneer sounded very mad:

"I know that the Bladetooth camp is at my fingertips, that the movements of the royal standing army must be strange, that Williams's mercenary doglegs are ready to move, and that the orcs that Guz encountered in the desert are no coincidence. ”

The duke's words were like a steel knife, reflecting a sharp cold light.

What did he say?

Tails breathed in disbelief.

Camp Bladefang is full of foreboding.

Movements of the Standing Army.

The mercenary doglegs are ready to move.

Orcs are no coincidence.

This information, these intelligence......

This means......

Tails frowned and looked at the duke:

"You know it all...... But you didn't show up, you didn't come to me, you didn't meddle in the struggle of the camp, and you didn't help the lords of the Western Wilderness when the Wings of Legend retook the camp, you just, just, ......"

Cyril exhaled with relief:

"I'm just letting Gutz get away from the camp after making sure you're in the camp, I'm just letting the Falkenhause Skull Guard rotate out early, away from the center of the whirlpool, away from the trap of catching turtles in this urn. ”

"Let Williams, that bastard, finish his hunt. ”

Tails couldn't help but ask:

"Why?"

"Before it all began, you obviously had the intelligence and ability to turn the situation around, but you sat back and watched the conflict between the royal family and the Western Wilderness take place, and sat back and watched your vassals...... Heavy losses?"

The Duke of the Western Wilderness smiled.

"Because this conflict is necessary, and it can only be this end. ”

Cyril looked out the window at the Bladetooth camp and seemed to think deeply:

"The princes of the Western Wilderness lost this game, lost their men and prestige, and were disgraced, and your Majesty won this game, keeping the Blade Tooth camp and beating the opponent. ”

"The two sides are just going back to the way they were before. ”

Tails' mind moved, and he suddenly figured it out.

Sure enough, Cyril turned around:

"But imagine if I succeeded in interfering in your majesty's handy chess game, forcing out the royal standing army, saving the princes from their losses, and helping them regain control of the western front...... What will happen next?"

Tails sighed.

The Duke continued:

"My stupid vassals, in addition to celebrating each other, will they accept it when they are satisfied, or will they have to step up their efforts?"

"And people like your father, will they accept the reality and give up, or will they be impressed by me and the strength of the Western Wilderness......"

Cyril's tone became terrifying:

"Go all out, pay back a hundredfold?"

The Duke sneered.

"Then the problem comes......"

Falkenhause's ugly face showed a deep furrow:

"Will the ruins become the next Cold Castle, or the next Longxiao City?"

"Sometimes, doing nothing is the best option. ”

Tails leaned against the wall.

The duke's words were very light, but they made him feel a sense of heaviness.

He had just returned from the Northlands, and he had become accustomed to the style of the Northerners who fought at a disagree, intimidated and intimidated the nobles, at least for the nobles.

But after today, he suddenly understood a lot.

The Kingdom of Stars executes a different set of game rules.

Another ...... The yoke of power.

The prince's eyes darkened.

"Now, is that enough to prove it?"

Cyril said coldly:

"I am neither the aristocrat you think I am, nor your father. ”

"It's in the Colosseum, where you live and die, the stars, the real - the third person. ”

Third.

Tails closed his eyes tightly.

The silence lasted for almost thirty seconds.

Until Cyril spoke slowly:

"Well, Williams is probably coming back from patrol, and I don't want to run into him - Gao He can't do him. ”

Tails opened his eyes and watched as Lord Duke bowed to him slightly:

"Nice conversation - you can get on with your lunch. ”

Tails, who was in a complicated mind, sighed and saluted him in return.

Knock, knock, knock.

With his leather robe fluttering, the Duke of the Western Wilderness turned around with a mysterious smile and walked towards the door.

But Tails saw something.

"Lord Duke, you forgot your sword!"

The prince frowned and pointed to the graceful arc of the ancient imperial sword against the wall—the Warninger.

Boom.

The duke's crutches were beaten raw on the ground.

But to Tails' surprise, Cyril opened his mouth with another word.

"No!"

The Duke of the Western Wilderness turned around and said coldly:

"It's you who forgot your sword. ”

Tails was stunned.

I saw Cyril squint his eyes and point to the ancient imperial sword by the wall:

"From now on, the Warden is yours. ”

Tails froze.

"Hold on to it, hold on to your sword. ”

Just listen to the Duke of the Western Wilderness, Cyril Falkenhause of the Four-Eyed Skull Family seems to have a deep meaning:

"Don't lose it. ”

With that, the Duke turned and stepped out of the room.

His last words came from outside the room:

"Also, say hello to the boy of the Cato family for me—if he is not dead. ”