duke and writer

"I'm sorry it's taken me so long to write to you, my boy. But please believe me, I still love you..."

This is the beginning of that letter.

The roll of gauze fell from his hand, and he picked up the letter paper in his hand to check it against the sunlight in front of the window—it was indeed his father's handwriting.

"...Although I don't know much about your current situation, I am not worried that you will go astray, because you are such an excellent child—kindness, loyalty, bravery, and other virtues that others need to work hard to abide by. Words are nothing more than innate character, you are the best knight—the most indisputable thing in the world.”

Big drops of tears fell on the thin paper, smudged the ink stains deeply and shallowly.

The narwhal breaks through the thick ice, floats to the surface of the sea and emits a long low moan-uncontrollably, the story told by his father when he was a child begins to play out in his mind again.

No signature, no mailing address.

"In the end... who is it..."

He buried his face in his palms, but water dripped from between his fingers.

The same is true of the later letters.

An Mixiu also thought about investigating this matter, but when he found the letter paper that had not been used for a long time, the tip of the pen was always hanging in the air, making it difficult to write on.The ink fell suddenly, and instantly exploded into a dark firework on the page—it turned out that I was the one who was most afraid of the truth being revealed.

Just don't think about it, he told himself.Until returning there after a certain mission, the inbox accumulated a thick stack of envelopes.

He opened it and read it as usual, but was captured by the manuscript records mixed in it——

"...I never gave up, my child. I hope you can help me preserve them. Maybe one day, at a certain time, they will have a chance to see the light of day again, to be innocent, and to be true to the world."

——That's the mother's research material.

"..."

"Captain, you once said that you would agree to the next request."

"Well," smoothly tied the knot on the wound on his right arm, Yinjue responded in a low voice, and loosened his teeth biting the other end of the gauze, "Want to leave?"

"I said earlier that you are not suitable here, and that guy's substitute has already arrived. According to our agreement at the beginning, you can leave at any time." Seeing the other party's surprised expression, the man chuckled and shook his head, " It's really extravagant, is life-saving favor going to be wasted on this kind of thing?"

"Thank you for taking care of me all this time." But he didn't say any more, bowed and was about to leave.

"Hey, An Mixiu," the young man who was stopped turned around, "Remember to write a letter after you settle down, I'll wait." He waved the letter in his hand.

"……It's you?!"

"Huh?" Yin Jue was taken aback when he saw this, "Did I say something wrong?"

"No, it's my problem..." He shook his head, his expression looked a little lost, and he stopped when he was about to leave, "Captain, do you know how to send a letter to someone who doesn't have an address?"

"How to send a letter with an unknown address," the man laughed, "It's better to write a notice to tell the world."

"……Been taught a lesson."

—A notice... is it really enough?If you want to write out everything you want to say, it may be a big tome.

He thought so at the time.

And it wasn't until many years later, when he took those familiar manuscripts amidst the discussion, that he suddenly realized that those letters that dragged him out of the abyss were all lies that someone worked hard for many years.

It turned out that from the very beginning, when he met those indescribable purple eyes for the first time, that person was destined to be wedged into his life forever.Although he once regarded it as the worst part, wishing to gouging out his flesh and bones.

But it's really funny, An Mixiu thought, Lei Shi, all my ideals and struggles have been related to you in the past ten long years.

……

"Since you have been away from the battlefield for a long time, how can you be sure that you will win?" the young king asked with great interest.

"I'm not sure, I have no chance of winning against the chief knight." The young writer said calmly, "I'm just betting, betting on the character of the elite knights - I am absolutely weak in their eyes, and I will replace the one who is full of brains." It would be an affront to chivalry for the fat-gut Inspector to duel with me, especially in that holy judgment."

"You do have some research on chivalry," Garderos raised his eyebrows. "So are you interested in becoming a royal knight, Sir Amish?" He tilted his head and raised his chin slightly. Montezuma understood and took out A long wooden box, opened in front of the young man——

Lying quietly in it was a beautifully cast long sword, the iris-shaped handle was luxuriously decorated, and the silver blade was sharp with double edges.

"Don't be dazed, kneel down," Palos grabbed the young man's sleeve from behind, lowered his voice and said anxiously, "Catch it with both hands!"

"No, Your Majesty." He straightened his spine and pulled back his arm neatly, An Mixiu looked at the superior, "Excessive praise will only make you feel panic. I am not used to being crowned with other titles, but This too exquisite sharp sword is obviously too inappropriate for me."

"Oh? Then what suits you?"

"For mercenaries, having those pair of flaming swords is enough, besides, the war below is over, so it is understandable to get any kind of weapon afterward—but what about you, Your Majesty?"

"You want... mercenaries to join the war?" The knuckles holding the armrest of the throne turned slightly white, and there was a moment of silence before the hesitant words of the young man came from above, "There is no precedent for this in our country."

"But failure or exception, which one does His Majesty think can be more forgiven by the ancestors?"

"...How to guarantee their loyalty?"

"Enough money."

"..."

"It's a matter of great importance. I need to think about it before making a decision."

Ten days later, the situation in the Papal State became increasingly tense.With hard support, the rebel army finally reached another mass day of truce.

"...Brother, tonight is the last chance. We have lost most of our cavalry, and the enemy's reinforcements are still increasing. If this continues, we will never last until the next truce day."

"I won't leave, Camille," Lei Shi swallowed a mouthful of alcohol as his Adam's apple moved slightly, "We have no way out."

"No, while there aren't many reinforcements, I can still find a gap," the young man stepped forward and pressed down on the table, with a sincere tone, "We will definitely be able to break through, and then..."

"And run away?"

"I have written a letter to inform Wang Cheng, they will have something..."

"Camille," the silver wine glass was slammed on the table, and the man's purple eyes were filled with deep anger, "what did I say?——No matter what, you are not allowed to contact Wangcheng again. There are now everywhere Eyeliner, once the news is leaked, the consequences will be disastrous, do you know?"

"..."

"Don't be a coward, my brother," he said coldly.

"Am I like a coward?" Camille looked at the other party incredulously, and let out a wry smile, "When was I afraid of death, Lei Shi? You might as well look back, how many hardships and dangers have come along this way, and why was I afraid? Now, I'm a coward again."

His sapphire-like eyes were about to overflow with tears, and his excited voice was slightly choked, "Do you know what I'm afraid of? What I'm afraid of is watching you die in front of me, but I can't do anything! No matter what you think Me, in my heart you will always be my most important relative, do you understand?!"

"... Tsk, silly boy." After a brief moment of stupefaction, the young duke got up and put one hand on the top of the young man's head, rubbing his soft black hair clumsily.

"Listen, we're going to win this war, and until then, you've got to trust me, trust Paley, trust all your comrades."

"..." Dodging the hand on top of his head awkwardly, the young man sniffled expressionlessly, "I'm self-willed."

"But it turns out I'm always right."

"Now that we are in a passive situation and the morale of the army is low, what is the right way to fight?"

"Low morale?" Lei Shi raised his eyebrows when he heard the words, and smiled meaningfully, "Then why don't you take them to a 'fireworks' to boost your spirits—Camille, call those people over, we First discuss the preparations before the 'banquet'."

……

The crescent moon was like a hook, and a cavalry appeared out of nowhere tearing through the night. Before the sentinel could blow the horn, he was shot through the throat by an arrow wrapped in moonlight.

The Duke, who was startled by the sound of fighting, came to the front of the battle, but just happened to see the little fireflies coming down the hills in the distance. At first glance, they looked like fireflies, but when they approached the reinforcement camp, they looked like fireflies. The fire-breathing mouth of the dragon...

"Steady," he said solemnly, sweeping his eyes across the crowd, "until the situation is clear, no one should act rashly."

There was the fluttering of bird feathers in the air, and the sharp and hoarse voice of the peregrine falcon was getting farther and farther away. Someone hurriedly came, shouting something loudly.

"——It's mercenaries!" Camille ran up holding the letter paper in his hand, breathing unsteadily, "Brother, Your Majesty has recruited mercenaries for us to support!"

After receiving the letter from the excited young man, Lei Shi frowned slightly, and looked at it carefully under the firelight of the camp. After a while, he laughed softly, "He actually...is really a good loser!" Home……"

He snatched the torches from the people around him and raised them high, "Soldiers, we are no longer alone and helpless, look at the battlefield in front of us, that is the greeting of our allies!" The young Duke said loudly, laughing wantonly and flamboyantly, "— —Bring your things, it's time for us to return the gift!"

"Oh oh oh!……"

……

With the addition of new forces, the reinforcement camp has gradually turned into a sea of ​​flames. The ignited tents are like huge bonfires, drying up the bloody puddles on the ground, and the crackling and burning sounds of shouts and screams One after another, it is like a war song that makes people's brains heat up.

On the other side, the horn of the city wall was sounded again, and the knights in silver armor rushed out of the city gate under the dim moonlight, and their horses galloped all the way, billowing up heavy smoke and dust.

"—All follow me!" Raising his arm, he chopped off the enemy's chest. When one sword was sheathed, his left hand waved another flame-shaped sword, and instantly cut off the head in front of him. The young man in light armor Grabbing the reins with one hand, he shouted loudly, "The situation has changed! All return to the defense camp!"

The backup quickly rushed back to the camp, the morale of the stationed team rose instantly, and the situation reversed in an instant.The troops who had turned from defense to offense went so far as to strangle the reinforcements from the capital to the near side of the city wall.On the high wall, the horn sounded again, and the rain of arrows came overwhelmingly, and most of the Holy See knights who had lost most of them fled back to the city in a hurry under cover.

The battle finally ended with the thunderous cheers of the rebels.

Lei Shi walked leisurely among the team on horseback, his purple pupils reflected the little fires in the distance, with a high-spirited light.When passing by a person, the guy's horse stepped on something, suddenly let out a sharp neigh in shock, and suddenly stood up, the soldier on the horse was unprepared, and almost fell off the horse's back.

"Tsk," without thinking, he stretched out his arm and picked up the man, and hurriedly turned the horse's head with the other hand, "Boy, be careful..." Lei Shi glanced at his face, but suddenly saw Those blue eyes stagnated for a while, and his stiff body instantly forgot how to exert strength, so——

"Hoo dong!"

"Ahhh—" the young man who fell and smashed, unluckily suffered two heavy blows, said angrily, "Leishi! Get up for me!"

"An Mixiu?!" Shocked, he couldn't hear any words at all, but repeatedly touched the bloody and ashes-stained face with his hands, turning a deaf ear to the protests below.

"...how did you come here?!" After finally regaining his senses, he lowered his brows and questioned.

"Is this the time to say this?!" The young man who was struggling to breathe shouted, "Get up, bastard! Do you want to crush me to death!" He was almost exhausted from this battle, and now he is going through it again, Mr. Writer feels that his life will be accounted for in this ghost place.

Hearing the words, the young duke was startled belatedly, and quickly helped the other party stand up. He coughed lightly in embarrassment, and was about to say something when he looked up but met countless pairs of curious eyes.

"What are you doing all around me?! Go back to the camp!" The man surrounded by his own cavalry said angrily.

Taking a deep breath, he scratched his sweaty forehead in distress. Lei Shi was about to turn his face away to say something, but when he didn't notice for a while, someone locked his throat from behind——

"Lei Shi," the young man gritted his teeth and asked close to the other's ear, "I ask you, were you the one who pretended to be my father and wrote to me?"

"An Mixiu," the man stiffened, hesitant to speak, "uh..."

"how?"

"Don't blow into your ears." Mr. Duke's face flushed unnaturally, and his shy words became a little hoarse uncontrollably, "Yes, there will be a reaction..."

"Ok?"

"..."

"..."

After sluggishly awakening, An Mixiu pushed the opponent away as if touching a hot potato.

"Who, who blew it up?! Do you still have a sense of shame! Beast!" He blushed and glared angrily.

"I'm not," the man frowned displeasedly, with the blush still on his cheeks, "I only do this to you, this is not a beast."