[Many people have the same idea that mages can coexist peacefully with other races, and even help each other. 】

At this moment, Tails's mind flashed back to the conversation from a long time ago.

That was Longxiao City six years ago.

Giza had just dissipated under the edge of the Pure World.

In the ashes of the sky, when Tails vowed to find a new future for the magician, the scholarly and elegant Asheda said to him lightly, intentionally or unintentionally:

[Whether it is a magician, a human, or even an elf, there are countless similar efforts and attempts......]

[They all failed. 】

That beautiful voice is vividly in my ears, but the cruel truth in front of me shakes my heart.

They all failed.

Tails looked at Sakel in front of him solemnly, but he was thinking about another figure.

Ashida.

What exactly do you ...... How many things are being hidden from me?

Eighteen years ago, you and Giza, and ...... What exactly did you do?

"Your Majesty, with calamity...... A covenant was made?" said Tardin in disbelief in the ultimate silence.

"Qi and blood?oh, I remember, the Blood Vials...... right" This is a thoughtful Nai.

Their voices broke the silence, and the shocked crowd spoke.

In an uproar, Barney Jr. took a step forward and shouted:

"Quiet!"

The noisy dungeon was suddenly cleared.

Barney's expression was still stiff, but Tails could tell that there was a surge of emotion hidden beneath his calm appearance.

I only heard little Barney say coldly: "That's it?"

"Three Calamities Alliance?"

Opposite him, the Knight of Punishment withdrew his gaze from Tails, as if immersed in his own world, and muttered:

"Those woes...... They don't care about the future of the stars, they just want to use the kingdom to achieve their own goals, no matter what doom and disaster they leave us. ”

"And that's just the beginning. ”

I only heard Saker's dull and dry voice, like a dream of disillusionment:

"It seems that overnight, the kingdom has been plagued by natural disasters, the grain harvest has been lost, the freight has been blocked, the sea routes have been blocked, the whole territory has been in turmoil, all industries have been deserted, and contradictions have occurred frequently, until rebellions have broken out one after another, and the situation has been eroded, and it is out ......of control."

Everyone in the audience sank in unison when they heard the words.

"At this time, while we are busy quelling the rebellion and rushing to pacify the country, the whole world seems to have received some order at the same time......

The Knight of Punishment stared blankly into the air:

"Our allies and companions are strangely and silently: whether it is the Three Kingdoms of the Lost Sea, the Holy Tree Court, the Hall of Kings, or even the Taixuan Palace on the other side of the sea, they are all secretive about aiding the stars. ”

"Our enemies and adversaries are united like never before: from the trade boycott of Commas, to the military incursions of the Great Desert, the sea raids of the Kasai, the blockade of the shipping lanes by Hymble, the provocations of Exeter in the north, even the rebels seem to have a steady stream of support behind them, as if they were going to fight together. ”

He recalled the history of the bloody year inch by inch, and the sadness in his words infected the atmosphere in the field, making the faces of the royal guards more and more ugly.

Tails frowned imperceptibly.

"However, the source of magic energy guns purchased from the Imperial Kingdom has been cut off for no reason, and the eternal oil and bituital ore cannot keep up, and it has become extremely difficult to supply conventional weapons and military supplies. ”

Sakel's words continued, and his voice grew tighter and tighter, as if slowly suffocating:

"It's not just wars that we've lost...... The king and the vassals were alienated, the nobles protested one after another, the relationship between the three major temples and the Fuxing Palace fell to a freezing point, and the shameless Tower of the End even sent letters accusing His Majesty of the rule. ”

"Everything came together and turned into the most unfavorable situation for us......"

There was pain and sorrow in his eyes:

"And what you can see is that the brothers in the guard are reduced one by one, and for the sake of duty and honor, they leave their wives and children, and follow you to the side of the bright stars, and go to the battlefield in batches, or reply a letter in half a month to tell you about safety, or never hear from you. ”

At that moment, no one in the royal guard, including Sémir, spoke, but each of them reacted, bowing their heads deeply or looking away unnaturally, and Cannon even whimpered softly.

"But do you think all this back then was really just a coincidence?"

Sakel looked at the fire in Naki's hand stupidly, and as the memories advanced, the words slowly became hideous:

"I know, I know why, I know why we're being targeted. ”

"Whatever your Majesty's intentions, but walk with the calamity—this is the origin and beginning of our calamity, which has plunged the stars into an unprecedented predicament and turned the whole world into our enemy. ”

"Grass!" Naki slapped his thigh and cursed.

I don't know if it's for King Eddie, or for Saker.

The whole world will become our enemy......

Tails' breathing unconsciously became disordered.

"Why?"

Hearing this, Barney Jr. coldly interrupted Saker:

"If you think that's the root cause and the reason......"

"Why didn't you tell us then? Why didn't you turn to the old captain, or even my father?"

"They must have a way!"

"Why are you making claims?"

Sakel's eyes moved.

The knight slowly swept past the royal guards present.

Tails noticed that many people subconsciously avoided his knife-sharp gaze.

After a few seconds, Sakel chuckled mockingly and lowered his head:

"You don't understand. ”

"By the time I really wanted to do something, it was too late. ”

He shook it slightly:

"The situation has deteriorated, and even the most elite brethren of the guard, who are guarding the princes, have received bad news from time to time. ”

"In less than a year, the momentum of the rebels has grown stronger and stronger, our army has been demoralized, defeated and retreated, and the war in the western wilderness and southwest has spread to the interior and burned all over the country, and the people of the kingdom are in fear and cannot ...... all day long."

With every word Sakel spoke, the brows of the guards tightened.

"Until Exeter, the terrifying dragon that had just subdued the Golden Corridor and the Comas, bared his fangs and joined the ranks of the fallen stones, sparing no expense to raise the nation's army, 100,000 elite, unstoppable, iron hooves, raging. ”

"That, I think, is the final blow that our enemies have prepared for the kingdom, the final chapter of this epic of annihilation. ”

Tails couldn't help but think of Nunn VII.

The king, who was old but undiminished.

The cunning and shrewd, fierce and tough head lion.

He also remembered what had been told by the Dead Crow about the purpose of Exeter's army in the south.

Thinking of this, Tails couldn't help but wonder: was it really just for political purposes that King Nunn could send troops so decisively?

"And we are so exhausted that we can't even raise a decent army......"

Sakel's words became more and more painful:

"In this way, the Kingdom of Stars, which carried the glory of the empire and was established for 700 years, came to the brink of destruction, and fell into the abyss with only one step, ending completely. ”

"But even so, even if the calamity has brought the kingdom to the Hell River step by step, it is difficult for you to imagine that Your Majesty is obsessed with going his own way, paranoid and stubborn......"

At this, the Knight of Punishment raised his head sharply, and his eyes looked forward angrily:

"It's hard to imagine him to the woman next to the pillow...... Unwavering trust in that monster. ”

"And it all started that night. ”

Sakel slowly shut down.

Barney Jr. closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"So you betrayed and rebelled, and threw yourself into His Majesty's enemies?"

His Excellency the Pioneer seemed to be trying his best to suppress his shock and try to shift his focus to the present.

Sakel was silent for a long time.

Seems to be hesitating.

"Your Majesty is deluded. ”

Finally, the Knight of Punishment spoke lightly:

He couldn't see that disaster was the root of everything. ”

"He has to be sober. ”

The Punishment Knight's gaze gradually brightened:

"Just stay away from those monsters with evil intentions, spurn their sinister intentions, and no longer hope for taboos, but return to the kingdom......"

Like a struggling traveler under the abyss, he saw hope at the last moment:

"The enemy's strange alliance has lost its foundation, and it will be self-defeating, and even the two taboo existences that are high above the legend will take away their gaze......"

"The supply of magic guns and eternal oil will be restored, the attitude of allies will be restored, the hostility of irrelevant interests will be removed, the back-up of the rebels will cease, the plight of our backs will be reduced, the hearts and minds of the divided will be gathered, the precarious situation on the front line will be improved, and all we need to worry about is the old adversaries. ”

"The Kingdom of the Stars will survive this catastrophe. ”

Sakel's expression grew more agitated, but after a moment it darkened.

"But before that happens, someone has to step up and take responsibility and turn the tide, even if it means the most unforgivable betrayal, the most unforgivable stigma. ”

A deep pain radiated from his eyes, and he looked at his fist intently:

"Someone must save ourselves - before His Majesty turns the whole world into enemies and takes the whole kingdom into the abyss. ”

"Someone has to put an end to this hopeless and unnecessary confrontation once and for all. ”

No one spoke, not even the mocking Samir kept his lips closed, and little Barney at the front closed his eyes deeply, as if in thought.

Tails' side, Naki let out a deep sigh, not only him, but everyone else with worried faces and heavy hearts.

The prince was in turmoil.

He remembered the encouragement he had whispered in private at the Mindis Hall when Yodel had a showdown with him over the Magician.

[I have seen those calamities, more than once...... Your family, from the moment it was born, was destined to suffer from those calamities...... Entangled ......】

More than once.

Surely it's not just Ashida, maybe including Freelan, or even Giza?

Speaking of yodel, he thinks of the secret department, he thinks of the Black Prophet, what role did they play in that catastrophe?

Tails remembered six years ago, after the Duke of Arend's conspiracy in the north failed, he hysterically questioned and accused King Kessel in the Revival Palace.

Like your damned father, you and he both know what your choices will bring, but you never care...... If you hadn't brought that monster back......]

They're probably talking about the new queen, Freland.

He had seen Cather's appearance, especially the scene when the Iron Fist King coldly asked him to send an envoy to Longxiao City, and he still remembered it vividly.

Was his grandfather, Eddie II, the same?

Tails also remembered the evaluation of Eddie II inadvertently leaked by Grand Duke Poffett, who lost the duel, in the Hall of Heroes at Valhalla.

[Sooner or later, one day, there will also be a madman like Eddie II of the stars, dragging his entire country to hell!]

Tails looked blankly at Sakel in front of him.

As a trusted watchman in the royal guard, he should have been the most loyal of guards.

But......

"Nope. ”

In the dungeon, a faint murmur of inadequacy sounded in everyone's ears:

"Even if it has to be someone......"

"It shouldn't be you, it's not up to you. ”

Tails turned his head in surprise to see Barney Jr. slowly raise his head, his eyes shooting a sharp cold light aimed at the Knight of Punishment.

"Immanu Saker. ”

Sachael was silent.

"You are not Your Majesty. ”

"You are not Crown Prince Midir, you are not Prince Horace, you are not Prime Minister, you are not a political officer, and you are not a military and diplomatic adviser to His Majesty. ”

Barney Jr. seems to have survived the betrayal of his colleagues and the shock of the truth of the year.

He seemed to have figured out something, but his voice was not high at the moment, but his sentences were sonorous and forceful, and he was categorical:

"You are not even the captain of the royal guard, but only a servant of His Majesty, the second son of Viscount Sakel!"

Barney Jr. took a deep breath and gritted his teeth and asked:

"What power do you have to arrogantly assert the future for the entire kingdom?"

Sakel didn't speak, but a deep pain welled up in his eyes.

The voice of the vanguard officer is getting louder and more resolute:

"What qualifications do you have, to stand in the dark depths of filth, and to pretend to 'save the world'!"

The guards were stunned for a moment, looked at each other a few times, and their scattered eyes gradually unified, and at the same time shot at the punishment knight.

Facing Sakel, who was frowning and struggling, Barney Jr. snorted coldly:

"Do you remember the Praetorian Guard's oath?"

The Knight of Punishment was slightly stunned.

Praetorian Guard's Oath.

But before he could react, Barney Jr. opened his mouth and said:

"I vow that I will dedicate my life to the throne and serve the emperor forever, and there will be no other master. ”

"I swear that this sword is only for the emperor to wield, only for the emperor to break and break, and there is no other use. ”

"I swear that this body will be buried in the resting place of the throne, or buried in the bones of the emperor's life halfway, and there will be no other end. ”

It's only three sentences, but Barney's voice is very loud, echoing between the four walls, sweeping away the hatred from before.

It seems to have changed back to the heavy, calm, and steady vanguard officer.

Sakel listened to the familiar words and slowly fell into a trance.

"And they did. ”

"Old captain, Tony, and even my father," Barney Jr. held back the astringency in his throat and kept his voice steady, "and all the guards brothers who sacrificed their lives inside and outside the Fuxing Palace back then, and even sacrificed on the front-line battlefields. ”

"No matter where Your Majesty is going, they will follow him to the death, regardless of their intentions and suspicion of him. ”

Sakel's body trembled.

Captain Cullen ......

Chief Security Officer Tony ......

Captain of the Vice-Guard, Grand Quill Barney......

In Tyres's eyes, not only Sakel, but also the people of the Guard:

Semir lowered his head, in deep melancholy and struggle.

Cannon leaned against the wall, his face trembling slightly, the big man Brie clutching his chest, and Naki staring at his torch with a blank expression, as if there was a good trick in it.

Tardin, Beretti, and Nai were stunned.

"I believe, even on the way to the Prison River. ”

Little Barney's voice also began to tremble:

"They will also do their best, UU read books.com and grab the ferry boat for His Majesty. ”

"And you?"

The Knight of Punishment's chest rises and falls.

But Barney Jr.'s words were like a sharp sword, denouncing him to the point:

"All that you say, Sakel, does not exonerate you from your sins. ”

"It's just your selfishness, convincing yourself of your dreams. ”

Barney Jr. ended his words, leaving only disgusted and disgusted eyes.

His words were obviously very powerful, and the members of the royal guard also figured out something.

They threw away their hesitation and reluctance to their former siblings, and their eyes were replaced by the same disgust and rejection.

This time, Sachael was silent for a long time.

Until he opened his lips with difficulty:

"I don't want to exonerate or shirk responsibility, and I don't ask for forgiveness. ”

"You said you wanted the answer," said the Punishment Knight softly, "and that's my answer. ”

"Everything back then, all the guilt ......"

"It's all up to me. ”

Barney Jr. stared at him for a long, long time.

Until Barney's expression returned to normal, he seemed to have figured something out, and shook his head with a miserable smile: "No." ”

"You can't afford anything. ”