Thelma's eyes widened slightly, and she took the delicate box with some surprise, looked suspiciously at the smiling Tails, and then gently opened it.

"It's ......" Thelma looked up in surprise as she saw the contents of the box.

"When I wrote to China last year, I asked Gilbert to do it, and I brought it to Putile today," Tails winked triumphantly and grabbed the contents of the box:

"You know, Xingchen's domestic craftsmen are relatively good...... I measured the curvature and thickness of the lenses according to their requirements, hoping that there would be no major mistakes, and prepared several pairs of spare lenses......"

"If it's wrong, I'll have to re-polish the lenses - it's expensive to polish by hand......"

Thelma took a breath and looked at the apparently well-crafted item in Tails' hand.

"Introducing the ...... Nose glasses!"

Tails smiled and picked up the new pair of glasses in his hand, which were completely different from the one on the girl's face.

This pair of glasses is strange, it does not have no ear frames at all, only a chain attached to one side of the frame, the frame is very slim, and the nose pad is a little strange.

Tails expertly reached out his left hand and stroked one of Selma's foreheads, removing the large, heavy, black-rimmed eyes from her face.

It's like you've practiced it hundreds of times.

But Thelma just stared at him blankly, and without any resistance, let the prince take off her glasses, not even caring that her eyesight was greatly affected.

It's like you've experienced it hundreds of times.

Tails excitedly fiddled with the new glasses in his hand, pressed them on the bridge of the girl's nose, and touched the soft skin on her face with his fingers: "Like this, with a little air pressure principle, you can clamp your nose to stabilize the glasses, and you don't need to put your ears on at all!"

"Then put the chain in the ......" Tails grabbed the thin chain at one end of his glasses and lowered his head, trying to find a coat pocket on Thelma's body to put in.

But he was embarrassed to find that the girl had no pockets on her body, and the only place where there was a gap was the chest, which was tightly bound by both the outer garment and the corset underwear......

"It's okay if you don't let it go. The second prince looked away in embarrassment and shoved the chain into the other's hand.

Putting on glasses without ear frames for the first time, Thelma reacted and opened her mouth wide in surprise.

She carefully held on to the tiny new frame, shook her head as if afraid it would fall, and looked around.

Tails observes the new image of the Grand Duchess: the almost transparent nose-clipping glasses free Thelma's face from the torment of the black-framed frames, and the girl blinks at this moment with bewildered eyes, less rigid and serious, and looks quite cute and cute.

Tails let out a satisfied breath and picked up Selma's worn old glasses and smiled.

After a few seconds, the teenage girl finally got used to her new glasses.

"Thank you. Thelma looked down, looking a little embarrassed.

"You're welcome, I've wanted to say it a long time ago," the prince laughed, "and as the leader of this land, it's always a little too serious to wear those black-rimmed glasses—like a frog, haha." ”

To his surprise, Selma behaved calmly, without excitement or excitement, as well as curiosity or doubt.

But......

"Now, Tails. The girl held her glasses blankly and looked into the distance.

Tails raised an eyebrow, "Huh?"

Thelma looked up slightly.

Tails noticed some redness around her eye sockets.

No way.

It's just a gift, and you're moved like this?

Tails, who was most afraid of seeing people crying, chuckled in his heart.

"Tails," Thelma whispered, "do you remember that day six years ago?"

Tails narrowed his eyes in confusion.

"The day we first met. ”

"That night, that early morning, that morning. ”

Her voice was illusory and insignificant, as if it had come from afar.

Tails frowned, remembering the past.

That night.

Nunn, Rumba, the bloody crown, the newborn archduchess.

"Of course," his words unconsciously became solemn, looking directly at the girl in front of him: "That kind of experience, how can you forget." ”

"Because of you, Tails," Thelma looked at him earnestly, "I became the Grand Duchess. ”

"Without you, I wouldn't be where I am today. ”

Tails was slightly stunned and was about to speak, but Thelma just shook her head, and her red eyes made Tails speechless for a while.

All he felt was a dullness in his chest.

It's just that......

Why mention this?

"You said," I saw Selma sniffle, with a faint nasal voice, with a faint sad gaze from behind the new glasses, "you will always be by my side, you will face with me, you will ......"

The corners of Tails' lips opened slightly.

"Ah," the prince took a deep breath, remembered his words, and subconsciously showed a reassuring smile: "I will always protect you." ”

Thelma didn't speak.

She just looked at the prince quietly.

The emotion in his eyes made Tails quite uneasy.

The two of them just looked at each other quietly.

After a long time, the dull atmosphere was finally broken by a girl's laughter.

It's just that this laughter doesn't seem so happy to Tails.

"Thank you. ”

"I'm sorry," the girl said with a hint of loss: "It's obviously not about you...... I shouldn't have kicked you today. ”

Yes?

Tails' eyes widened, then he touched his head in confusion.

Today's Selma was a little more than he expected.

The prince could only smile awkwardly with doubt.

"It's okay," Tails sighed softly and shook his head helplessly, "who made us friends." ”

"Like you said: life and death together. ”

Speaking of this, Thelma trembled slightly!

The Grand Duchess looked up sharply, as if she had made up her mind.

"Tails!" Thelma let out a breath and his words froze, "Today's listen...... That ......"

Tails sensed something: "Huh?

But at that moment, Thelma's eyes suddenly darkened as she stared directly at Tails.

It's like putting something down.

Tails looked at her quizzically.

What the hell is this......

In the next second, Selma's tone and rhythm returned to steady.

"That...... "Ronnie and his allies, the three Grand Dukes of the North, want to invite me, invite Long Xiao Cheng to sign the declaration against the king's decree and support their protest. ”

"Oh, that's a good thing," said the questioning Tails, recalling the events of the past few months in Exeter - the new knighthood decree introduced by King Chaman in the Black Sand Territory was almost unanimously opposed and condemned by the whole country, and it is estimated that he is currently in a state of anxiety - some schadenfreude:

"Give Rumba a little color. ”

"yes," Thelma sneered, but her tone was a little low, "It's a good thing." ”

Tails frowned at the sullen girl in front of him.

"Speaking of which, you know, we're going to have a new teacher soon," the prince asked tentatively, "or did Putile invite him from the Duchy of Anrenzo, and he said it was a ...... of high virtue."

But the next moment, Thelma stood up very abruptly.

"I'm full, you go on. The Grand Duchess replied with a quiet and flat expression.

Tails was shocked.

Yes?

But she was ......

"Tomorrow, old time, library," Selma said with a pale smile, "There's a new batch of books arriving, don't forget, let's read them together." ”

Tails nodded subconsciously.

The girl curled the corners of her mouth at him, nodded nonchalantly, clenched her fists, and walked out of the dining room quickly.

Leaving Tails alone, staring at the table full of food in a daze for some reason.

She.

What's wrong?

The prince looked at the girl's departing back in a daze.

On her seat, there seemed to be a faint body odor remaining.

Tails reacted suddenly: when Thelma left, she left the pair of black-rimmed glasses on the table and didn't take them with her.

————

Courtyard of Blood, that night.

"You really don't know?"

In the room, Putile crossed his legs on the couch, puffing on his pipe with ease, and said to a stern-looking Tails in front of him.

"Of course, a foreign prince is not allowed to enter the Hall of Heroes on the Listening Day," Tails said a little anxiously, "What happened at the political hearing meeting in Longxiao City today?

Putile's expression was comforting.

"Well, although I can't get in either, I still have some channels...... after all"

"Putira, if you know anything, speak up," Tails sighed and urged, "I'm really in a hurry. ”

Tails involuntarily reached out and gently squeezed the old pair of glasses in his pocket.

There was a slight heaviness in my heart.

Putile nodded and snorted.

"Listen to me, Your Highness," His Excellency, the former deputy envoy, said lightly, "Today, in the middle of the political hearing meeting in Longxiao City, someone suddenly accused you. ”

Tails raised an eyebrow.

"Blame whom?"

The prince was a little surprised, and he pointed to himself: "Me?"

"Well," said Putile, observing Tails' reaction, "some say that the young prince of the stars forcibly took over civilian shops in order to play a game of chess—in the spear district, once a month. ”

"Huh?"

Tails posed in surprise with an O-shaped mouth.

But I went to the spear area to play chess, including the chess and card room......

But Putirai's words went on slowly: "In the meantime, the prince also encouraged his lawless subordinates to hunt in the jungles on the outskirts of the city, which belonged only to the lord...... Hunting hares. ”

Tails was confused again.

When am I going to let my men hunt hares......

Wait a minute...... This one......

Tails thought of a figure under a certain cloak, and suddenly his chest was tight, his eyes were dark, and he felt that he almost vomited a mouthful of blood.

"Anyway, it caused an uproar," Putile took a puff of his cigarette and snorted twice in satisfaction, before continuing: "The vassals at the council listened to the arrogant behavior of the enemy prince in Longxiao City, where he tolerated courtesy, and they all asked the regent of Lisbane to ...... with righteous indignation."

"Demand that the corresponding punishment be imposed for your crimes...... For example, harsher dungeon internment," Putirai laughed, "such as the whipping that is unique to the Northlands." ”

Tails' eyes widened in disbelief.

"Crime? then," His Royal Highness suddenly realized something, and he cast a suspicious look at Putilai, who was leisurely smoking, "Wait, your prince is about to be spanked, why are you still so calm?"

Putile chuckled and shook his head in front of a slightly disgruntled Tails.

"Don't worry, Your Highness. ”

"Your luck is as good as ever. ”

"Something unexpected happened," said Putile, in a mournful tone, "for the first time, for the first time in six years." ”

"The one who has been silent in the past days of political hearings, the fifteen-year-old Archduchess Walton......"

He got up from his seat excitedly. ”

Tails frowned.

She......

Stood up?

"Archduchess Walton was shocked—she was in the face of the fierce denunciations of almost all her vassals, and she cried out that she was willing to vouch for her reputation and authority," said Putile, lightly, but so shocking to Tails:

"You have her permission to vouch for your actions: to be held accountable, start with her. ”

Tails froze.

He looked at the void and said unconsciously, "And then?"

Puttier's face sank.

He lowered his upturned legs and sat up straight.

"And then ah......"

"There is a viscount who is not long-eyed, and the lady who accuses you in public," Putile sighed, "Is there a ...... between the two of them to say that she is so protective of a hostage prince?"

Tails listened to Putile's words in a daze, noticing in the slightest that His Excellency had given the maiden, whether intentionally or not.

Of course, he was beaten and swollen by the angry Northlanders on the spot, and he was driven out of the hall. ”

"The rest of the story is ugly, I heard that the Grand Duchess lost her temper and smashed a stone cup - the Regent of Lisbane almost couldn't even control the scene. ”

"For an outsider...... I think that the vassals of Longxiao City probably have a worse impression of their female feudal lords. ”

After saying this, Putile exhaled softly and blew out a smoke ring.

Originally......

Tails sat down unconsciously, his expression stunned.

He touched his knee and remembered the kick the girl had given him.

She ...... today

He remembered her abrupt words at the dinner table, the tone of which she wanted to cry.

Because I......

"But because of this, many vassals looked ugly, and they urged in unison: for the stability of the rule of Longxiao City, and the continuation of the bloodline of the Walton family......"

Tails sat stunned, unaware that his breathing was beginning to quicken.

"The honorable Grand Duchess should choose a husband and marry and have children this year, among the local vassals," Putile's words reached Tails' ears, and there was a sense of isolation, as if coming from another room:

"The arguments are so valid that even Lisbane can't dispute them. ”

"That's what happened at the hearings — at least the part you want to know, I think. ”

Tails clenched his fists unconsciously.

Putile looked thoughtfully at the somewhat lost Tails, and sighed lightly: "Your Highness, get ready." ”

"Your friend. ”

"The poor little girl. ”

Thinking of the past years, the thin man shook his head:

"I'm getting married. ”

Putira's voice was low, as if he was afraid of waking someone from a deep sleep.

On the other side, Tails, who had been silent for a long time, had even forgotten how to react.

Putile silently exhaled a plump smoke ring and watched silently as it drifted into the air.

It's like it never existed.

Only the person who blows out the smoke ring can remember how perfect it was in that moment.

A few seconds later.

Prince Tails Bright Star subconsciously turned his head and looked out the window.

[You will always be by my side, you will face it with me, you will ......]

He looked in the direction of Valhalla in a daze, only to feel that his hands and feet were cold, and he was stunned.

(End of chapter)