Sword of Dawn

Page 127

"Okay, please tell me, it will be recorded for you here."

"...Teacher, I'm fine outside. Traveling is really interesting. This world is so big, much bigger than the forests I've seen in my hometown...

"I know a lot of people, there are humans, there are elves who also come out to travel, there are also dwarves that are very common in the north of the mainland, and there is even a goblin - goblins are really interesting, small, but they speak with air full of...

"Teacher, I don't regret coming out to see this world, but I also want to see the forest in my hometown again...

"But... I'm not going back.

"I'm going to stay out in the world because of a promise I have to fulfill.

"One last thing, mentor, don't gamble anymore...Really, it's actually embarrassing to tell others...

"That's all, Miss Windtalker."

"Okay, it's been recorded," the silver elf on the magic light curtain recorded all Berna's words with a smile, and then asked, "Is there any other message to give to someone else?"

The elf girl Berna was silent for a moment, then shook her head slightly: "No more."

"Okay, sisters traveling far away - I am very happy to have this short conversation, and hope to see you again next time. May the stars and the earth always look after you."

"May the starry sky and the earth bless you forever. Thank you."

The runes on the surface of the communication device gradually dimmed, and Berna repeated it as if talking to herself: "Thank you."

This is obviously not for Windtalkers who are already offline.

The body of the "elf girl" shook slightly, and a cold voice came from her mouth: "You don't need to say thank you to me, you and I both know that this is part of the transaction contract.

"You give your flesh and blood, and I make up for your regrets.

"I just want to better stabilize the flesh and blood state after 'fusion', and on the other hand, I have been monitoring your actions, and your words and deeds can't escape my shackles—so you really have nothing to do." Thank you for mine."

There was a long silence in the room, and a few minutes later, Bertila suddenly chuckled: "Heh... I was actually influenced by you..."

She shook her head, all expressions on her face quickly subsided, then she opened the door of the cubicle and left the place without hesitation.

She skillfully passed the checkpoint in the messenger hall, walked through the streets, and left the town established by elves through another entrance.

Before long, she was already walking in the taiga outside the valley.

Bertila, who still maintained the form of "Berna", walked in the forest. Although she was surrounded by desolate border forests, she seemed to be strolling in the garden of her home. She walked unhurriedly, and when she arrived at a After reaching a clearing in the woods, he stopped.

She raised her head with a smile, and looked at Solderin who had stretched his short bow not far ahead.

"Sister 'Sol', we meet again."

Chapter 0307 Typhon's Changing Situation

Solderin pointed at the elf girl not far in front of him with the short bow in his hand, as if he was deaf to the other party's greeting.

"It's really indifferent," said the elf girl with the same smile on her face, but now that smile had a lot of sarcasm and a strange feeling, "During the previous journey, you have always regarded yourself as an elder and protector."

"Words can't delay your time," Solderin said calmly, and the bowstring was gradually filled with arcane light, "Who are you?"

"Me?" The corners of Berna's mouth twitched slightly, "I'm just a...druid who traveled far away."

As the last syllable of the elf girl fell, her figure was suddenly enveloped by a group of fallen leaves that appeared out of thin air and danced wildly!

Without thinking, Solderin let go of the bowstring in his hand. An arrow full of arcane energy pierced the air, and split into more than a dozen dazzling brilliance in midair, covering the crazy area without any dead ends. On the fallen leaf storm of dancing——a series of deadly brilliance penetrated the fallen leaves without hindrance, but Soldering did not relax at all. The sense of crisis made him jump high almost instinctively. The moment he left the ground , countless poisonous black thorns also emerged from the ground, smashing the rock he was standing on!

The strange fragrance of flowers permeated the air, and the abnormal magical wind stirred the surrounding trees. The leaves and branches trembled and made a rattling sound, and a hoarse, distorted, and obviously deliberately concealed female voice came from all directions: "I I'm curious, when exactly did you become suspicious of me?"

Soldering landed on the ground, a layer of emerald green halo spread from his feet, hindering the growth of those poisonous thorns, and also blocked the ubiquitous fragrance of flowers, he frowned and looked at the re-condensed The figure——that figure was still facing Berna's face, but its lower body turned into a strange shape supported by roots and vines. The strange shape of the enemy made him vigilant. He observed carefully and said: "I It’s true that I haven’t found it—but just as I was about to leave the messenger hall, I suddenly realized that my mental state and judgment were not quite right these days, so I asked Master Heart of Thorns record of apprenticeships—she hasn't taken any new apprentices in the past two centuries!"

"You actually got rid of the effect of bewildering pollen so quickly..." The half-human, half-tree female druid chuckled softly, but the fragrance of flowers around her became more and more intense, and a large number of strange flowers were blooming under her feet. Spreading the mind-disturbing breath throughout the forest, "I thought you were with me all this way, constantly affected by low doses of pollen, and you wouldn't recall those mistakes at all..."

"You underestimated the people who survived the wasteland of Gondor..." Soldering drew his bow again, "Don't waste your time, those pollen are useless to me when I'm prepared— Without these mind-confusing tricks, you are no match for a high-ranking ranger. You'd better be honest, who are you? What are you sneaking into the monitoring station for?"

"Berna Breeze is indeed Thornheart's apprentice...but that was 300 years ago," the evil female druid smiled, "She is an elf who wants to go home after her journey , but fell on the way home, and I just helped her...

"In addition, proud high-level ranger, do you really think you have a chance of winning? You can indeed resist the effect of the bewildering pollen, but the ordinary rangers and sentries you brought and ambushed around here...they can also resist Is it?"

Soldering's face changed slightly, but his eyes sharpened immediately: "I alone is enough to keep you here."

"What a coincidence, I thought so too—the withered treant!"

"Grenade Throwing!"

"?"

Typhon Imperial Capital, Aldernan, Noble District.

Grand Duke Ferdinand stood in the study room where the portraits of the family ancestors were hung (there were no fake corpses), quietly watching the streetscape of the imperial capital immersed in smog outside. A hazy veil, the lingering fog hides many details in the imperial capital, only the tallest and most brightly lit noble and royal buildings stand proudly in the fog, using their lights and their own huge silhouette Outlined many spectacular silhouettes, also clearly visible in the fog.

This scene is just like the idea of ​​this empire - the nobles and the royal family are like lighthouses, guiding the ignorant people forward.

After entering the foggy moon, Aldernan will be frequently shrouded in thick fog. This is also a typical feature of the central region of the mainland and some northern regions. The word "foggy moon" in the calendar was originally derived from this.

In the past, Ferdinand liked this kind of foggy weather very much—he liked the hazy but hard-edged posture of this ancient city after being immersed in the fog, which reminded him of this city that has experienced countless storms, but still The proudly standing empire also reminded him of the famous battle in which he stepped on the battlefield for the first time and was attacked by the enemy in the thick fog, but he fought his way back. However, today, he has no intention of admiring the scenery in the fog.

The information from the border of the empire was placed on the desk behind him. The special magic parchment had been unsealed, and the content written on the paper clearly appeared on the paper. A few words were written on it in feminine handwriting:

Winter Wolf Castle was attacked by a huge humanoid monster. The monster was shaped like a giant of flesh and blood. It was so powerful that it hardly feared swords. It could easily corrode and embrittle our city walls and steel armor...

The defense forces suffered heavy losses, but fortunately the fort was not lost.

The monster came from the direction of the dark mountains.

This is the information sent back by Andersa. Together with this information, there is another note. The content written on it is simpler, with only one sentence: Ansu's southern border was attacked by flesh and blood giants, Sisi The damage to the collar is unknown.

This information came from other channels of the Wendell family.

Duke Ferdinand withdrew his gaze, turned around, his eyes swept over the information on the table, and then fell on the portraits of the first few ancestors of the Wendell family hanging on the opposite wall, and whispered to himself: "Those who really Is it the monster you faced back then?"

He couldn't help but think of the traveling monk he met on the border of the empire decades ago when he was an ordinary knight captain, and the warning he gave to himself.

It was a rare elven monk. When the young Ferdinand Wendell met him for the first time, the monk was wandering on the border of the empire, and it was the same Brumaire as today, and it was also the same as today The fog filled the sky—to this day, Duke Ferdinand still remembers the scene at that time. He was rescued by the mysterious elf monk who was injured on the battlefield. The two found a tree hole in the foggy forest to rest temporarily , the monk's head was shining brightly in the mist, and his words are still fresh in my memory today:

"Young human warriors, you keep talking about your ideals and ambitions, as if you will gain glory if you can lead troops to defeat the opposite country, but do you know that your real threat is not your fellow human beings at all ...

"Two countries with the same origin have turned into such a mess. Didn't any of you take a look at the wasteland that is close at hand? Those monsters were sealed away 700 years ago, but you are really not afraid of them reappearing." Back to this world?"

Duke Ferdinand took a deep breath, his expression became firm, he shook the brass bell that summoned the steward, and whispered to himself: "Master Delin, you are right.

"They did come back.

"Humanity has to change."

The door of the study room opened, and the old butler who had loyally served the family for many years appeared in front of Pei Dinan: "My lord, what are your orders?"

"Prepare the carriage for me, I'm going to meet His Majesty the Emperor!"

The carriage and entourage bearing the emblem of the Wendell family enjoyed the highest aristocratic privileges, and the palace of Emperor Rosetta Augustus opened its doors to Duke Ferdinand, watching the majestic palace walls continue to enlarge in sight, Pei Dinan's heart was as firm as steel.

No matter how deteriorating His Majesty's mental state is, no matter how much influence his words can have on this huge empire, he must change the direction of Typhon, the war machine today—if it is delayed until three days later, Then His Majesty the Emperor will convene the last aristocratic council, and if he still wants to do something at that time, he can only take the method he is least willing to take...

Pei Dinan looked down at his hands, which were used to holding swords but still full of strength, and slowly clenched them into fists.

Until the last step, he would never take the worst path.

He entered the palace, entered the palace where the emperor Rosetta Augustus lived, and with the help of his attendants, he took off his heavy ducal cloak, but still wore an ornamental sword at his waist-this is his as The privileges that the First Duke of the Empire should enjoy—he has already obtained permission to meet, and under the leadership and accompaniment of the attendants, the Duke walked towards the place where Emperor Typhon was currently.

When he walked halfway, Duke Ferdinand found that the attendant was taking him to the reception room instead of the usual study room where the emperor received him, so he asked curiously, "Your Majesty is in the reception room? Is he receiving any guests?"

The attendant replied politely and thoughtfully: "Yes, Your Majesty is receiving two elf doctors."

"Elf doctor?" Duke Ferdinand frowned slightly, "Is there something wrong with your majesty's health?"

"Please rest assured that His Majesty is still in good health," said the attendant, "it's just that he's been feeling a little less mental recently."

Not in good spirits?

Pei Dinan was stunned for a moment, instinctively feeling that something was wrong, but before he could ask, two silver elves wearing white dresses with very similar looks, dignified and beautiful came out from the corner of the front corridor and entered out of his sight.

The attendant said beside him: "It seems that the two doctors have finished their work."

Ferdinand Wendell watched the two elf physicians whom he had never seen before approaching him. He suppressed all unnecessary doubts and waited with the indifference that a duke should have.

There was only one corridor, and the two elf doctors inevitably came to Duke Ferdinand. They showed impeccable polite smiles, lifted their long skirts and bowed in greeting: "Good afternoon, my lord. Your Majesty is waiting for you."

Chapter 0308 About Negotiation

These are the two elf doctors received by His Majesty the Emperor?

Pei Dinan was slightly concerned, so he quietly observed the two elves in front of him.

These are two very similar silver elves, with their race's signature long golden hair and pointed ears. They are tall and almost impeccable in appearance. They wear white court dresses (or, in general terms, nobles). Ladies’ dresses) and emblems with patterns of leaves and branches on their chests, which seems to indicate that they still have the extraordinary identity of the Druid faction...

The most impressive thing is not the beauty and temperament of these two elves, but their "synchronization" feeling that is closer and more tacit than the twin sisters. They speak in unison and bend down almost in unison. This even gave Grand Duke Ferdinand the illusion that he was looking at a person and her shadow.

"I've never seen you before." Duke Ferdinand Wendell said in an indifferent and reserved tone.

He didn't need to talk too much with the two doctors, especially if they were elf superhumans hired by the royal family, but even if he asked a few more questions, no one would question them.

"It's true that you haven't seen us, because we are not court doctors," the two elves said the first half of the sentence in unison, and then the slightly taller elf continued, "We just accepted the summons of His Majesty the Emperor."

"I see." Ferdinand nodded slightly, and then stopped paying attention to the two elves, but turned around and continued walking towards Rosetta Augustus' reception room.

The emperor summoned a doctor temporarily. Although this was not common, it was the emperor's private matter. As the first duke, he had no reason to pay too much attention to it.

His majesty the talented emperor sat in the large chair at the top of the reception room, waiting for his first duke.

This middle-aged emperor has the sharp eyes of an eagle. Although he has a gloomy temperament and a thin body, the sharp eyes still make him intimidating like a powerful wolf. In the seat with the backrest, the lights cast light from the back of the seat back, making him disappear in the shadow of the backlight, but after Ferdinand entered the room, this middle-aged man who liked to shroud himself in the shadow stood up voluntarily.

"Pei Dinanqing, I'm so glad you are willing to visit me in this foggy weather."

Ferdinand froze for a moment, and looked at Rosetta Augustus in disbelief.

The emperor's figure is still thin, and his temperament is still somewhat gloomy, but the eyes exposed under the short gray curly hair are full of clear and wise light. He is standing upright, although the smile on his face is diluted by his own gloomy temperament A lot, but there is no doubt that His Majesty's mental state is in an unprecedented state of mind.

Ferdinand couldn't remember how long he hadn't seen Rosetta Augustus's smile, how long hadn't seen the other party's eyes that were sober, and how long hadn't heard the other party call his name in such a relaxed and friendly manner. The name—the crazy curse that had engulfed the Augustus family for more than 200 years has temporarily faded from His Majesty the Emperor! ?

Emperor Rosetta didn't seem to notice Ferdinand's brief astonishment. He smiled and walked to another chair next to him to sit down, and indicated that Ferdinand could sit opposite him as usual, and at the same time said: "In this big Come in the foggy weather, do you have something important to tell me?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," Pei Dinan took a breath and sat down in front of the emperor, "I have received information from the border..."

He talked about the information he had obtained, while carefully observing the changes in the expression of Emperor Rosetta.

——Different from the backward and chaotic country of Ansu, the Typhon Empire has already realized the centralization of power and the rectification of the aristocratic system after many successful reforms. Although the enfeoffed local nobles are still there, their power has been greatly compressed and Control, the power of the entire aristocratic system is in the hands of the royal family, and this kind of great change was brought about by the emperor in front of him in the first half of his life.

This centralization reform has made the administrative efficiency of the empire unprecedentedly improved, and Duke Ferdinand is therefore completely convinced by the monarch who is a dozen years younger than him, and willingly becomes an active promoter and assistant of the New Deal. However, the Duke also knows that there is a huge The shadow of the New Deal has always been hanging over the head of the New Deal, and that is the spiritual problem of the emperor himself, or the spiritual problem that every member of the Augustus family must face.

The power of the royal family can make the empire prosperous, but it can also multiply the consequences of the emperor's own mismanagement. As the first duke of the empire, Ferdinand Wendel's mission is to always be an "insurance" for the Augustus family. He has always kept this mission in mind, especially after the implementation of the New Deal.

Rosetta Augustus didn't pay attention to Ferdinand's eyes. He just listened to the content of the information with a calm expression, and nodded slightly: "So, Ansu, like Typhon, was also attacked by those monsters."

"Your Majesty, those monsters are not ordinary monsters. They may be blasphemy that wandered from the wasteland of Gondor and are called aberrations by historians," Ferdinand emphasized, and Master Delin's earnest warning echoed in his heart , "If it is really a mutant, then the attack on Winter Wolf Castle will be just the beginning - more serious things may happen at any time."

"It's time for us to reconsider the war situation with Ansu." Rosetta Augustus said lightly.

"We are facing a common threat, so..." Ferdinand continued almost habitually. He didn't realize what he heard until half a sentence came out. He looked at His Majesty in front of him in astonishment, "Your Majesty, what do you mean……"

"We are facing a common threat, and all human beings, even all races, are indistinguishable from each other in the face of this threat, aren't they?" Rosetta showed a gloomy smile, "All human kingdoms have a land next to the wasteland of Gondor. Those monsters will not think about whether they are attacking Typhon or Anzu when they attack the border."

"So we..." Duke Ferdinand said tentatively, "Shall we postpone the plans for the coming year?"

"It's not just postponement, we have to make more thorough preparations, don't we?" Rosetta looked into Ferdinand's eyes, "Perhaps we should re-establish a dialogue with Ansu...if that king still has the right judgment if."

Ferdinand didn't speak, but took another look at the Typhon ruler in front of him, and the latter responded indifferently: "Qing Feidinan, I know you are surprised.

"I've been really tense lately, but don't worry, I've always been very clear about what I'm doing.

"The curse of Augustus may finally fall on me, but not now.

"Perhaps, I should find a time to express my condolences to the Earl of Winterhold..."

"It's better than anything else that you can recover. I will share the good news with Earl Palin," said Ferdinand Wendell, and then hesitated for a moment. "Is it because of those two elves?"

"They have a personal friendship with the Augustus family." Emperor Rosetta said casually.

At the same time, two pieces of information were also placed on the desk of Francis II, King of Ansu.

The old king carefully read the contents of the newspaper, as if he wanted to engrave every word on it in his mind, finally he sighed softly, and put the two sheets of light parchment that had been treated with magic They all threw themselves into the brazier beside them.

In the city of Saint-Sunil in the deep winter, the cold wind carried the frost and snow from the mountains in the north and whistled between the ancient palace walls and bell towers. There seemed to be faint bells coming with the wind, but they could only A hazy echo was knocked out of the large ornate crystal window.

Francis II knew that it was the bell of the Holy Light Cathedral—in this winter when cultists were raging, the bells of the Holy Light Church were at least twice as frequent as in previous winters. Listening to the faint bell, Francis II Shi's mood has also calmed down a lot.

Anzu's crown prince, Prince Edmund, stood by the king's desk. He looked at the parchment that was gradually reduced to ashes in the brazier, and could vaguely recognize some of the words on it: Winter Wolf Castle, Attack, Aberration, Cecil's warning...

"Edmund, do you know what this information means?" The voice of Francis II woke Prince Edmund from his thoughts. The old king put his hands on the brazier and roasted them, while using the power of the fire to make his old man The cold blood vessels warmed up again, and asked seemingly casually.

The young prince frowned: "It means that the threats and challenges we have to face are increasing day by day?"