As mentioned last time, Elven language has gone beyond the realm of language that we can understand, and most of its effective meaning is contained in the tacit and resonance of the interlocutor, which depends on the elves' innate supernormal senses, which are close to the instincts of the race. Even if there are only words, they can read aloud or touch to reproduce the context through pronunciation and even pen strokes, complete the referent, and achieve synaesthesia empathy, which is unimaginable for humans who can only speak dryly......"

In the study of Mindis Hall, Bona University Scholar shook his head as always, and explained his grammar lesson slowly.

Tails sat behind his desk, quietly copying the ancient elven letters, as well as the five to fifteen phonetic transcriptions of each letter, with an elegant and meticulous posture.

It's as if nothing happened last night.

"So in the written language, the Elvian script is often concise and capable to the point of outrageousness: the grammatical structure of the ancient Hiya elven script is often simplified tense and even pronouns, and the word order of the ancient elven script is often incomprehensible - There is a little joke that an elven romance about a love triangle is translated into the universal human language, but after reading the ending, the readers are divided into three factions, and they quarrel with each other, because the three factions all think that the pair of characters they like are finally together, until the original author can't help but jump out and say that he writes about hexagonal love......"

Master Boehner's voice buzzed, but Tails remained focused.

The Starlake Guard, who was at the door, was still (Marhros's preferred) a vanguard and a guard partner, but instead of the old Gallover and Doyle, it was Nessy, a young man that Tails was unfamiliar with, and Bastia, a strong man who was unfamiliar to Tails - they both showed themselves last night, the former subduing D.D. who was eager to save his father with an iron fist, and the latter allowing Tails to learn the hardness of his abs.

So, Glovo and Doyle, they also changed shifts.

Tails said silently.

In view of this, the Ludols, the origin of the empire and the obscurantist era, had to add a lot of additional grammatical standards, such as tenses, voices, subject-verb-object order, etc., to clarify those things that the ancient elves could perceive without bothering to describe them, so they went to the other extreme, and then there was the complex and delicate ancient imperial script with a variety of rhetoric. In this way, we have to be very careful when reading and even translating the Elven text......"

There is no sun today, the cold wind is howling, and it is bitterly cold.

The Mindith Hall also seemed bleak and silent.

In previous years, Yongxing City at this time had already cooled down into winter, but this year's autumn seemed to be extraordinarily long, looking gloomy, dull, and cold.

Duke Xinghu silently moved his wrist and watched the letters blur out on the paper.

After the night, his back was stiff, his forehead ached, and his legs were cold.

All this reminded him that the corner of the bedroom was not easy to sleep on.

"Therefore, it is not difficult to understand why different ethnic groups have different languages, and why different languages shape different ethnic groups - language is a tool, a result, but also a master, a cause, and it is the best example of anti-customer, which profoundly affects users in the process of change......

Listening to the whispers of Master Boehner, Tails' eyes focused on the letters in front of him, the tip of the pen moving delicately as a machine, stroke by stroke, rigorous and meticulous.

Nothing else.

Those "others" he hated to face.

“...... Far away. ”

Master Boena's voice became a little ethereal, with a strange pitch, high and low.

The young duke did not react, he changed a piece of paper with a blank face, and turned the next page to be copied.

Next.

Go to the next page.

But Bachelor Boena's voice rose sharply:

"Far away!"

The tip of Tails' pen shook, and a drop of ink smudged off the paper.

He came back to his senses and looked up in surprise.

"Huh, excuse me?"

In front of him, the well-rounded Bona Bachelor was looking at him with interest in his hands.

Master Bona smiled and patiently explained:

"It's just an ancient Greek elf, if you annotate all the information contained in the pronunciation, it can probably be translated as——"

The maester returned to his seat and said in a playful tone:

"Your heart is not with me, not in the classroom, not even in your letters, Your Highness. ”

Tails was stunned for a second.

Although he quickly thought of several excuses, he finally sighed and sincerely apologized:

"I, I'm sorry, Master Bona. ”

"Oh no, I'm sorry," said Mr. Boehner, holding his teacup unscathed:

"My explanation, obviously, is not so interesting that you can concentrate and forget your worries. ”

Tails shook his head:

"It's not your fault, you're a very good teacher, it's just me ......"

But Boehner interrupted him:

"I heard about last night. ”

Tails was stunned.

"Respect and understanding are good, Your Highness, and it is even more precious not to lose sight of the value and meaning of every human being – even the enemy – as a 'human being'. ”

"Yes. The prince smiled reluctantly when he heard this, and suppressed his chaotic thoughts.

Bachelor Bona closed his textbook and said quietly:

"But don't forget a lot of the time: you're a human being. ”

Hearing this, Tails was stunned for a moment.

The respected old bachelor smiled:

"So I thought, we might as well leave class early. ”

Tails put down his pen.

He had just discovered that the page he had copied was full of errors.

The boy sighed:

"Thank you for your understanding, Mr. Bonner, I can't thank you enough. ”

Bachelor Bona smiled slightly.

"And the reason why we need to improve grammar and study language, not just stop at everyday conversation and letter writing, Your Highness. ”

He stood up and said meaningfully:

"It is precisely because we are human beings that we value each other's values and feelings, because we want to better communicate and understand each other, and to explore and express what is deep in our hearts. ”

Instead of superficial behaviors and reactions, falling into blind self-consciousness and misunderstanding, confined to malicious speculation and suspicion, trapped in indifferent nature and rules. ”

"The reason why we are different from animals and beasts, Your Highness, is not because 'we' can make fire......"

The senile Bachelor Bona carefully put away his textbook:

"It's because among 'us' there are people who make fires and people who don't. ”

The words were quite meaningful, and Tails was silent when he heard them.

He could only stand up and salute respectfully.

After Bona left, Tails looked out the window at the gloomy weather and summoned Nexi and Bastia, who were with him.

"Is there any news from the Fuxing Palace?"

"No, Your Highness. ”

As a midshipman of the Pioneers, Nexi had apparently been tasked with a close quarter-up attendant to the Prince, and the young man, who was not a few years older than Tails, looked excited, looking at the prince with eager anticipation.

"Actually, I think the palace is very busy, for ...... Last night's incident. ”

Last night.

Tails sighed, gloomy.

The older Bastia glanced at Nexi, but the young man was unaware of it, still in high spirits:

"Do you want to send someone to the Fuxing Palace to ask?

"No, not necessarily. ”

Tails stood up.

"I'm going to change my clothes. Next came the martial arts class, and before Marlos came," the Duke stood up and unbuttoned his cuffs, having experienced the last night, he had a desperate desire to wield his weapon:

"I want to go to the training ground to warm up first. ”

Nehi's eyebrows fluttered:

"Of course, I'll go and inform the servants—"

"But, Your Highness," said the older Bastia, hesitantly, and her voice was rough, like a bellows in a blacksmith's shop:

"About the ...... of the training ground"

He wanted to speak, but he stopped.

"What's wrong?" Tails looked at the mountain-sized guard, thinking back to the strength of the other party when he surrounded him last night, and wondered if there was a person of this size in every royal guard.

"D.D has just returned. ”

Tails' unbuttoned hand paused.

Bastia observed Tails' expression and said very quickly:

"I mean, Doyle, and he and the Glouver Pioneer, are on the training ground at the moment...... With Chief Marlos. ”

Tails looked back in confusion:

"So what?"

The two looked at each other, but neither answered him.

He soon had no need to wonder.

When Tails arrived at the training ground, most of the Star Lake Guards were here, divided into teams according to their seniority and duties, forming a semicircle - just like the last time Tails was "tested".

Nehi tried to shout a shouting reminder to salute, but Bastia quickly stopped him.

Tails could feel that the atmosphere was not right.

Under the gloomy sky, everyone stood silent, no one exchanged heads, and no one even dared to make superfluous movements.

Tails' gaze crossed the crowd and saw Marhros standing at the forefront:

He held his hands behind his back, his expression was still calm, and his eyes were calm, but the whole person exuded an unsettling aura.

Patterson, the penal officer, Ston, the logistics officer, and Fubi, the flag officer, these senior members of the guard with special identities stood behind the watchman with serious expressions.

Directly in front of Marios, which is also the center of the training ground, the two of them knelt on one knee and hung their heads on their chests.

Bear the eyes of all.

That's Doyle and Glofer.

Tails was slightly stunned.

The prince subconsciously stood on the side of the training ground and did not continue forward.

His instincts told him he shouldn't have come any closer.

Someone still noticed the duke's coming, but apparently, the atmosphere in front of them made them afraid to salute loudly, and many people only bowed slightly and pressed their eyes to their chests.

Marios also quickly saw Tails, and with only a slight glance, he returned to the matter at hand without paying attention:

"Patterson, get to work. ”

At the front of the crowd, Patterson, the penistor, took a cold step forward, past Marios, and came to the kneeling two.

"First Guard, Danny Doyle. ”

D.D., who was kneeling on the ground, shuddered slightly.

The penistor's voice was calm, but cold, with the unquestionable attitude of a judgment.

"As the best and most respected guard officer in the Mindis Hall, your audacity last night endangered the safety of His Highness, hindered the work of your colleagues, jeopardized the duties of the guards, and violated your own mission. ”

Tails, who was watching, closed his eyes, and he knew what he was going to do.

But last night......

Tails thought of Baron Doyle with fear on his face, of the hysterical Baroness, and of D.D. who was angry with his sword.

I thought of Anke Al Biral smiling in despair.

and countless pairs of onlookers.

He felt a pang of discomfort.

"Thou shalt sharpen thy sword, and shine thy edge. ”

Patterson said an antique word, lowered his eyes, and looked coldly at D.D. who was kneeling on the ground:

"Do you have anything to appeal?"

D.D looked haggard, his eyes were red, and he had obviously not slept all night.

At this moment, he is dressed disheveled, and his hairstyle is messy, which is far from the image of the usual lazy and slippery rich boy with a good image.

"No, Patterson," Doyle took a few deep breaths, and he looked up, bitter and sad, only to see Tails in his eyes:

"My recklessness has affected Your Highness and all of you, and I am willing to take responsibility for my mistakes. ”

He put down his hands on his knees, landed on both knees, and bowed his head deeply:

"My sword should be sharpened, and its edge will be light. ”

No one in the guards spoke, and everyone watched them silently, and the atmosphere was solemn.

Patterson glanced at Marlors, who was silent.

"Very well, then," the penistor nodded, and said indifferently:

"Nine lashes. ”

When the verdict was handed down, there was finally a small ripple in the guards, but it was quickly suppressed.

Behind Patterson, Punishment Wing's Capone and Pezzarosi, the former always joked by D.D. as "Patterson's little padded jacket," and the latter, who was part of last night's makeshift sniper team, stepped forward, expressionless.

Doyle, who was kneeling on the ground, was prepared, and under the gaze of everyone, he silently unloaded his weapon and handed it to the other party, and then took off his equipment and clothes one by one: coat, jacket, bracers, arm guards, leather armor, armed belt, scarf, lining......

Until his muscular and well-proportioned upper body was exposed, shivering slightly in the cold autumn wind.

The penistor did not stop and turned directly to the other person.

"Gary Glover, First Class Pioneer Officer. ”

Nicknamed Zombie, Gloover didn't answer, as smooth as ever.

As if it wasn't his name that was evoked.

"As the most senior and skilled pioneer officer in the Mindis Hall, you have not paid the slightest attention to your partner's emotional state, and when you realize it, you have connived at his audacity out of sympathy, ignoring your responsibilities and even disobeying orders. ”

D.D on the side bit his lower lip, but didn't dare to say anything.

Compared to just now, Patterson's reprimand for Glovor was more severe in tone:

"Thou shalt sharpen thy sword, and shine thy edge. ”

"Any objections?"

Gloveo raised his head slowly, as if the statue that had been sealed for thousands of years touched the air and fell dust.

"Nope. ”

The zombie is hoarse, and his voice is calm, without ups and downs:

"My sword should be sharpened, and its edge will be light. ”

Patterson looked at him for a long time before he spoke:

"Seven lashes. ”

Needless to say, Croover moved sharply and quickly, kneeling on his knees, consciously removing his arms and taking off his armor, revealing a body of sturdy but dark and rough muscles, and old scars all over his body, in contrast to D.D.

The two of them were topless, kneeling on the training ground, facing the eyes of their peers.

Marhos remained silent, just watched coldly.

Tails was feeling more and more complicated.

Punishmentwing's Capone silently opened his gear bag, pulled out two spindle-sized sticks, and handed them to Doyle and Glove, allowing them to bite into their mouths.

"You've all had experience," Capone whispered between the two of them, letting go of the stick that had been bitten by Glovover:

"I have only one piece of advice: bite tight and don't drop it. ”

On the other side, Pezzarosi methodically pulled out two fist-sized brown leather objects tied like bows, and slowly untied them until they took the shape of two leather whips.

The two whips were slender and sturdy, and Pezzarosi tried to pull them twice in the air, making a rustling sound.

Many members of the guard frowned.

D.D took a deep breath, and Gloover became more serious.

"Hold up, boys," said Patterson's penalister, coldly:

"Believe me, I've seen the barbed whips used by the Northlanders, thicker than the hemp rope that hangs from the gates, and that's worse. ”

Doyle looked receptive, and he turned his head to look at Tails, and bowed deeply at the prince.

Tails sighed and nodded silently at him.

Seeing this, Marios frowned.

The next second, Patterson waved his hand.

Capone and Pezzarosi came up behind them and expertly shook off their whips.

But at that moment, the penistor's shoulder was pressed.

It's Marlos.

"Gray, you're in charge of Glover," the watchman looked at the surprised Patterson, stepped forward, and motioned for Capone to hand him the whip:

"As for Officer Doyle, I'll come. ”

There was a lot of talk in the guards.

Doyle and Glouver were also amazed.

Patterson frowned:

"We come in person? We don't have to ......."

But Marhros quickly interrupted him:

"Since you have a noble person as an audience, you have to be serious, don't you?"

The watchman glanced sideways at Tails.

The Guards' chatter was quickly silenced.

The prince felt a chill in his heart, and threw a look of disgruntle at Marios:

"But I-"

"Although this is the internal affairs of the Guard, Your Highness," said Marlos, who did not give Tails the slightest chance to speak, bowed to the prince and smiled indifferently:

But you are still welcome to stand by and be a witness. ”

"Or, would you like to count the whips for us?"

Tails was incredulous, choked on him and couldn't speak.

Patterson sighed, and he walked up behind Gallover, pushed away the stunned Pezzarosi, and took the whip from him.

Marlos came behind D.D., shook the whip from his hand, and smiled at Tails, not waiting for the latter to respond:

"Well, since His Highness is not happy, then Toledo, you will report the number. ”

Toledo, Marhros's herald, in the crowd, froze.

He looked at his boss and then at the prince, a little overwhelmed.

Until Marios' face was displeased:

"Now!"

Toledo didn't dare to hesitate any longer, he took a step forward and raised his head:

"One!"

The voice fell.

Under Tails' angry gaze, Marlos and Patterson swung their arms at the same time.

Whew......

Their movements are skillful, their movements are smooth, the arc of the two whips thrown away is almost synchronous, and the sound of breaking the wind is almost in order!

Tails' breathing was sluggish.

In the next second, the leather and the skin shook in high-speed contact, making a sound that tore through the air-

Syllable!

Crisp, harsh, cold, palpitating.

In the middle of the field, D.D shook hard!

He subconsciously folded his hands and bowed forward, but quickly reacted, lowered his hands, and straightened his back.

On the other side, Glove's face was still pale, his body was like steel, and he only trembled slightly at the moment when the whip touched his body.

But both were short of breath.

Tails soon saw: the upper backs of the two victims, rough and smooth, from top right to bottom left, revealed a thin and terrifying red thread from which a bright red oozed and spread to the rest of the skin.

"This force," Tails heard Bastia sigh in a low voice, intentionally or unintentionally:

"It's going to have to be scarred. ”

The onlookers were breathing unevenly and their eyes were complicated.

Marlos stretched out his left hand, stopped Toledo, who was counting, and slowly spoke:

"Guard Officer Danny Doyle, did you know what was your biggest mistake last night?"

D.D. was still basking in the sharp pain of the first whip, and he didn't say anything, just bit the baton tightly, his face contorted.

Marlos was silent for a while, and he turned to Toledo.

Toledo didn't dare to delay any longer, and hurriedly reported the number:

"II. ”

Marlos and Patterson's whips arc again.

Syllable!

Doyle and Glovo shuddered again.

Tails subconsciously turned his head, as if he could feel the hot and unbearable pain through the bystanders.

"Answer me. ”

Marhros showed his plain calm smile:

"Officer Doyle's Bodyguard......"

"You know what?"

D.D gasped for breath and struggled.

But in the end, Doyle took a sharp breath!

He decisively spit out the short stick and spoke bitterly:

"Because of my choice, I am reckless and selfish, endangering Your Highness and everyone!"

Marlos snorted softly and gestured to Toledo.

"Three. ”

The whip shadow reappeared, and both of them tore through the air.

Syllable!

This time, without the short stick in his mouth, D.D snorted in pain, and the whole person fell forward, and it took a few seconds to get up and kneel again.

On the other side, Glove, looking at him, only bit the short stick tighter and tighter.

"The answer is wrong. ”

Marlos said indifferently.

"Tell me, D.D., when the interests of the individual and the collective conflict," the watchman shook his whip:

"How would you choose?"

As soon as these words came out, both Tails, Doyle and Glofer, including the members of the guard present, were all stunned.

"Or to put it bluntly, one day, your family members will conflict with your duty," said Marlos, glancing at Toledo, who was counting the numbers, and said nonchalantly:

"How do you choose?"

Toledo sighed:

"Four. ”

Dancing with both whips.

Syllable!

Doyle let out a painful grunt between his teeth, and Gloover was clearly a little overwhelmed, and his body began to shake.

They gasped for breath and blood began to ooze from their backs.

"If someone pinched the lives of your family and threatened you against His Highness?"

Marhros's voice rose high:

"Even, it is your dearest family that wants you to betray Your Highness?"

Tails' heart tightened.

He suddenly remembered the former prison of bones, the old royal guard.

Doyle breathed a sigh of relief, and he straightened up again, but he was already sweating profusely and embarrassed.

I only heard him hiss in pain:

"I, I had a mission last night, Lord!"

Marlos frowned.

This time, without waiting for Toledo to count, he raised his arm and whipped, and swung a much more terrifying bang than before!

Syllable!

D.D screamed and fell to the ground, shaking.

The guards also trembled.

Patterson, on the other side, was stunned for a moment, then reacted immediately, and whipped Glopor to the point of convulsion.

Toledo hurriedly followed, reporting the numbers:

"Dirty—five!"

Tails couldn't bear to look at it anymore, he looked away, only to feel heavy inside.

Marlos let out a breath, he looked at the trembling Doyle, and turned his head to look at the other man:

"You, Pioneer Garren Glover. ”

"Answer me. ”

"How do you choose?"

Sweating profusely and dusty, Glovover took a few deep breaths and straightened up with a resolute gaze.

The zombie spat out the short stick and spoke hoarsely:

"We have all sworn an oath, sir, to dedicate ourselves to the throne in this life, and to serve the emperor forever. ”

Marlos paced and pursed his lips:

"So?"

Under the double torture of pain and shame, Glaufer showed a hideous look:

"So we have to make sacrifices, and the mission comes before the affection. ”

Tails listened to him, breathing faster.

Marios suddenly turned around, and the whip wind rose again!

Syllable!

After the terrifying explosion, Gloover screamed in pain and fell to his stomach!

Patterson, holding the whip, frowned, he looked at Glove, who was supposed to be his mission, and at Marios, who had dark eyes, and didn't know what to do.

"Give him five lashes. ”

Without waiting for Toledo to follow the report, Marhros nodded to Glofo under him, and said to Patterson:

"Also, the whip just now doesn't count. ”

The penistor looked suspicious.

"Because of the whip you had before, Gray," said Marlos, without waiting for the other to speak, lightly:

"You know, I trust you. ”

Patterson's face froze.

The penistor tightened his grip on the handle of the whip and did not make a sound, nor did he dare to show mercy to his subordinates.

On the other side, D.D., who had relieved himself, looked at the trembling Glofo and hurriedly spoke:

"Lord, sir, it's not about zombies, it was my ...... last night."

He gritted his teeth, and said with tears on his face:

"It's me who made the wrong choice! It's me who doesn't dare to make a sacrifice!"

Marios frowned slightly, his arms swinging.

Syllable!

Under the sound of the whip, Doyle also lay on the ground, his back dripping with blood, and his mouth gasping for breath was intermittent.

"This, also add five lashes. Marlos said lightly, but did not explain why.

Toledo didn't dare to hesitate and continued to count.

Tyers, who couldn't stand it, wanted to speak, but when he thought that it was because of his presence that the situation had worsened and their punishment had increased, he had to force himself to calm down and hold back all his words.

Marios looked up at the guards.

"Sacrifice. ”

The watchman spoke softly, but everyone stood up straight.

"It's always easy to say it, doesn't it?"

"Divine, glorious, great, heart-pounding, feeling sublimated. ”

Marlos paced and did not immediately continue the flogging.

"But a lot of people forget. ”

Marios looked at the gloomy sky, his eyes ethereal, as if looking up at an unreachable god.

"The Nature of Sacrifice ......"

"It's a deal. ”

In astonishment, the watchman slowly bowed his head.

Doyle and Glovo gritted their teeth again and straightened their backs.

"In ancient times, when the belief in the gods was still in full swing, mortals offered sacrifices in front of the altar in exchange for the blessing of the gods, which was the source of sacrifice. ”

As the words fell, Toledo began to count again, bringing the next whip to the ring

Syllable!

The two tortured men fell down again, their elbows on the ground.

Tails' pupils shrank violently.

So it's the opposite of what it sounds like – sacrifice, selfishness. ”

Marhros spoke in a deep tone:

"It's a profitable deal. ”

(End of chapter)