The Book of Hibernation

Before the second exchange of hostages, the escort from White Lake City arrived at Fesisit.

A curfew was enforced in the city before dawn, and knights and specially-made large carriages quietly passed through the streets and entered the high wall where the parliament tower was.

Aldin temporarily left Hamer Village and went back to the city to see the person in charge of the escort team.

After dawn, he rushed to the Parliament Tower.Glora has already prepared a dedicated meeting room for him, arranged a simple breakfast, and dismissed the waiters in the tower, leaving only the people from the chamber of commerce and the captain of the knight.

Aldin opened the door and walked in. The Cavalier Captain immediately got up and saluted him, and silently recited the holy name of Lady Day.

In the morning, breakfast, a meeting room, a long table, some cups and pastries on the table, and a blond knight beside the table, not wearing full body armor, saluting politely... This scene reminded Aldin of the first time he met To Winterthistle and Lion.He couldn't help sighing, why do I have to meet the knight while having breakfast again?

Today the knight is older and does not have a mage with him.Strictly speaking, the knight did bring a mage... The mage was lying in a guarded room, unconscious and unable to come and talk to Aldin in person.

Aldin thanked the captain for his hard work, and asked him to sit down and have breakfast and chat.The Cavalier Captain was not used to this. He could sit down, but he couldn't talk while eating.He sat upright across from Aldin, always looking as if he was participating in a serious meeting.

After chatting, I found out that this captain was the leader of the original escort team.After that, he stayed in White Lake City, and now he came to Feixiite from White Lake City.

Originally, the Great Temple didn't want to send him here, but he asked to participate on his own initiative.He thought that what Kanai encountered could have been avoided. If the knights were more vigilant, or played better in the subsequent battles, perhaps Kanai would not have to use that method to stop the necromancer.As a Templar Knight and as the commander of that operation, he felt that he needed to be responsible for this matter to the end, and he also needed to meet Aldin and apologize in person.

For Aldin, it was really unpleasant to talk about this topic, and the knight's sincere eyes and firm tone made his scalp tingle even more.

But what has to be said has to be said.He had already thought about it.After the knight finished speaking, Aldin replied: "I have no right to accept your apology. If Kanai has a chance to return to normal, then you will go and tell him."

The knight was taken aback.Most people would probably answer "no need to apologize" or directly accept the apology, even if it is normal to say "no forgiveness", but Aldin's attitude was a bit beyond his expectations.

More importantly, he probably never thought of saying something to Kanai himself, because he didn't believe that Kanai could return to normal at all.

Aldin asked: "By the way, I still don't know how to call you?"

"Reno Patrolman," the knight replied, "you can just call me by my first name."

"Are you the squad leader?"

"Actually, he is the commander of the detachment." Last year he was not.During his year in White Lake City, he was promoted.

Under the system of the Temple of the Day, the leader of the detachment is equivalent to the patriarch of the Temple of Teaching and Chanting, and is on the same level as the middle-level priests of the Temple of Miracles.Aldin wondered: "You actually performed the escort mission yourself..."

Renault said: "The responsibility lies. And I feel guilty. This guilt is not only for you, Mr. Chief, but also for Mr. Kanai, and for all the vows I have made."

"Captain Renault, you shouldn't think like this," Aldin said while pushing away the plate, looking in a bad mood, "You shouldn't feel guilty. Guilt is actually a kind of urging, urging us to regret the past Make amends. But in Kanai's case...with all due respect, unless he really recovers, you can't do anything to make amends. Why don't you just put that thought aside, can't business be done? Nobody I will blame you, not even Ms. Bai Tian."

Renault frowned and didn't speak for a long time.

Unlike ordinary people, he doesn't lower his head subconsciously, nor does his eyes flicker.He still sat upright, looking straight into Aldine's eyes.

After a while, Renault said seriously: "Thank you, Mr. Chief."

"no need thank me?"

"Thank you for reminding me, now I realize the limitations of my thinking. I regard the normal execution of tasks as a special dedication, and I am secretly complacent about it, thinking that I have given a lot... This is wrong. I miscalculated The definition of 'responsibility' and 'make up'... My responsibility is not just to guard Mr. Kanai's body, but to try my best to help him restore his original state on this basis. Even if it is difficult to do, even if I can participate in the part I'm limited, and I should do my best."

Aldin crossed his hands in front of his face, nodded with a smile: "I am very grateful that you are willing to think this way. It is a pity that not everyone is like you. Most people just want to deceive the necromancer, not really want to save My brother."

Reynolds said: "It is very important to stop the necromancer's conspiracy, and it is also very important to save Mr. Kanai. I think the two can coexist, and there should be no distinction between them. If the monster can really be separated, subdue the monster and at the same time To wake Mr. Kanai, I will definitely do my best to assist in this good deed."

Aldin nodded and stood up.Renault quickly followed suit.

Aldin walked to the knight: "Kanai is my only relative. I am very happy for him that he can meet a friend like you."

This made Renault a little embarrassed.He didn't know how to answer properly, so he said: "Mr. Kanai should have settled down there, are you going to see him?"

"Okay, let's go together."

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From the depths of the forest to Hamer Village, Dongji walked this road many times, and the road became more and more familiar, and the arrival time became earlier and earlier.

When Dong Ji saw the village buildings from a distance today, it was not long after dawn.He was standing on the forest path stepped out, and a person was lying in ambush very close to him.

Dorwood was hidden in the bushes, a few paces from the Winter Thistle.Winter Thistle had used a masking agent, so Dorin couldn't see him, and kept staring intently in the direction of the village.

Dorin's ear tips were red from the cold, and there were slight shadows under his eyes. It could be seen that he had suffered a lot in the forest.Apparently he was not released, but escaped by himself.As for the opportunity to escape, it must have been the hunter's surprise attack.

Winter Thistle made rustling footsteps as it approached, stood very close to staring at Dorin, and even sighed softly, but Dorin didn't realize it.

Winter Thistle originally wanted to say hello to Duo Lin, but swallowed the words again.He realized that Dorin was clearly hesitating about entering Hamer.

It turns out that you already know it.Winter Thistle thought silently.You also know that the raid may have had something to do with Lane.

Winter Thistle is going to pretend nothing happened, but Dorin may not be able to do that.Winter Thistle was thinking about what to do when another person appeared on the path leading to Hamer Village.

Aldin walked around a bush and appeared not far away.He knew that Winter Thistle was coming today, so he waited at a fixed place outside the village.

Aldin is still far from here.Because he was waiting for someone, not going out to pick up someone, so he didn't continue to walk over, but paced around in place, sometimes digging at the tree trunk next to him, probably playing with bugs to relieve boredom.

Winter Thistle looked at Dolin beside her.Of course, Dorin also saw Aldin. He squatted even lower, with his little frozen red hands resting on his lips, frowning in thought.

After a while, Duoling raised his head, as if he had made up his mind, he slowly stood up while supporting the tree trunk.

He made a sound in the bushes, and Aldin immediately looked over here, putting his hand on the hilt of his sword under the cloak.

Surprisingly, Duolin didn't want to run, but pushed through the grass and walked towards Aldin.

Probably he weighed it in his heart: he was afraid of Ryan, and he didn't dare to find other temple knights. At this time, the people of the Chamber of Commerce seemed more neutral.

Winter Thistle raised her hand towards Duolin's back. She was about to chant a sleep spell, but changed her mind temporarily.

He thought, it would be better to let Dorin confide in Aldin... He also wanted to see how Aldin reacted to the surprise attack.

Under the effect of the masking agent, Aldin could not see the winter thistle, but could only see Dolin walking out of the bushes.

He hadn't expected to see Dorin here.Unaware of its purpose, his hand under his cloak remained unarmed.

With the matter of Harbor City Wharf first, it is said that Dorin should hate Aldin very much.But Duolin was able to distinguish between priorities, he stumbled to Aldin, without saying any nonsense, and immediately told the process of the dead hunters raiding the necromancer stronghold, as well as the hostage casualties he saw.

Aldin wanted to help Dorin, but Dorin backed away in fear.So Aldin didn't reach out again.He said: "Okay, I know this. There should be a execution squad camp on the way you came. Have you gone to the Knights of the Temple?"

"Can't find Ryan!" Dorin shook his head again and again, "I mean, it's best not to tell too many people about this..."

"Can't tell too many people? But you can tell me?"

Doring said, "I don't trust you as a person, but after thinking about it, I can only tell you this matter."

"Oh?" Aldin smiled, "Why?"

Dorin said: "I guess you don't want the negotiations to break down. Also, I know Winter Thistle is very close to you, so in the current situation, I have no choice but to..."

Before he finished speaking, Aldin interrupted him: "Did Winter Thistle tell you anything?"

Dorling is much more relaxed now that he has delivered all the important information.He said: "I said something, but not recently. We were separated recently and haven't seen each other. Last year I met him in the sea of ​​trees, and he mentioned you occasionally."

At this time, Aldin can continue to ask "what did he say?"But he didn't ask.

He just nodded, quickly put aside the topic about himself, and looked at Hamer Village thoughtfully, as if he was thinking about the hostages and the raid.

Winter Thistle hid in a bush and watched them silently.In fact, he didn't need to hide, even if he stood in the middle of the road, those two people would not notice him.

Dorin's words made him laugh.As Dorin said, Winter Thistle did mention Aldine occasionally during his time at Hometown Cottage.

There was neither praise nor reviling.All he mentioned were insignificant things.

He and Dorin talked about the weather in Harbor City, about the dew, and about the things they ate at Aldin's house, and more about the various items in the poorhouse market.In saying this, he often mentioned Aldin in passing, almost inevitably.He didn't have to avoid it either.

Fortunately, Aldin didn't ask. If he did, Dorin might not know where to start.The things Winter Thistle mentioned were all too ordinary and trivial.

But... why didn't Aldin ask further?Is he really not interested in details?Or are you afraid of hearing what you don't want to hear?

Winter Thistle looked at Aldin from afar, denying the latter guess.

Aldin used to be afraid of snakes, but later he was not afraid of snakes anymore.He is not afraid, he has nothing to be afraid of.

Even, he is not afraid of the breakdown of the negotiation with the necromancer, and he is not afraid of the damage to the merchants of the Carlos family...

From yesterday to now, Winter Thistle has been thinking about whether the person who arranged the raid was Aldin or Ryan.

At first he thought it was Ryan, but after thinking about it for a while, he felt that this was not like Ryan's behavior style. Ryan would more likely take the knight brothers to fight in person; but if it was Aldin, Aldin shouldn't be so rash, in case the first What if the second hostage exchange fails?What if the necromancer became enraged for a moment and directly killed the remaining hostages and refused to negotiate?

At a certain moment just now, a thought suddenly flashed in Dong Ji's mind.

He guessed who had arranged the raid.

End of the road.Aldin said to Dorin, "You can't go wandering around in Hamer in this situation. Do you see that brick-red roof over there?"

"I see." Dorin nodded.The house Aldin pointed to was not far away, just at the entrance of the village, and the main house was connected to the mill.

"If you want to rest, go to that house. People I brought from Harbor City sometimes live in it. Now they should go to the village hall. There may be no one in the house."

"Where do you want me to hide?"

"Hiding or not is up to you. There are food and water in the house. You can stay if you want, you can leave if you want to rest, and you can steal a cotton coat if you want. It depends on your ability. If you encounter If there are people in the house, just say that you are from Harbor City, and they will not ask more questions. The main reason I let you go is that the house is far away from the village hall, and the temple knights generally don’t go near it. After all, they don’t like to talk to me. deal with people."

Dorin nodded.He was calm on the surface, but in fact he really wanted to go to rest.The house was just what he wanted: closer to the outside of the village, farther away from the village hall, so he could escape at any time, and the temple knights would not come close.

When Dorin left, Aldin warned again: "When approaching, be careful around, make sure no one goes in again. Don't be seen by the guards."

Needless to say, Duoling will be more careful.The Guard might tell the Templars about him.Fortunately, the location of the mill is suitable, and there is no need to pass too many roads in the village.So Dolin left.

Winter Thistle didn't come out right away.He walked back and walked a long way, until he and Aldin could not see each other.

Then he waited for a long time, and felt that it was almost time before using the neutralizing agent on himself, which canceled the effect of the masking agent, and walked towards the village again.

Winter Thistle took the long branches picked up halfway, brushed aside the weeds, and appeared on the path as before.

Aldin heard the voice and walked towards him.

"You've arrived earlier than usual," said Ardine.

"The road is familiar, smoother than before." After Dong Ji finished speaking, she suddenly looked at Aldin suspiciously.

Aldin asked, "What's wrong?"

Winter Thistle said: "If you say I arrived early, it means that you are not new, you came earlier."

Aldin said: "I'm really not used to the climate here. The air is too dry and I can't sleep well, so I had to get up early."

The two walked side by side along the path to the village, chatting casually in low voices as they walked.Aldin asked Winter Thistle if everything was alright, and Winter Thistle said it was okay, the necromancer was very attentive and found a lot of literature for him, and gave him priority to use the spell-casting materials that could be used.

Winter Thistle makes no mention of the raids of the dead hunters.Like it didn't happen at all, or if it happened he didn't know it.

Aldin didn't mention it either.Even though he had just talked to Dorin.

When Aldin and Winter Thistle walked towards the village hall, Dorin had slipped into the red-roofed mill and found the fireplace, as well as bread and water.

The food was on the small round table near the fireplace. There was clear water in the wooden cup. It was lukewarm, which was exactly room temperature. Sauerkraut sauce was spread inside the bun cut in half. He left in a hurry to eat.

Dorling ate the breakfast unceremoniously.Now the people living in the village are the people from the city-state and the chamber of commerce, and they use the supplies brought in from the city.

After eating, Duolin's body also became much warmer.He groped about the house for a while, and found the bucket and basin again.This makes for a body scrub, and cleans blisters and small scrapes from your feet.

Dorin doesn't intend to stay here for long.He hasn't figured out what to do next, anyway, he can't hide in Hamer Village all the time.

Aldin was right about one thing just now, he really planned to steal a thick coat and leave.There were some bedrolls and luggage piled up in the corner of the room, and he found things like wool cloaks and leather waistcoats, all in the size of human mass-produced clothing, a bit too big for him.

He put on a padded jacket and was adjusting the straps on his sides.At this time, there was a "squeak" sound from behind, and the door of this room opened.

After being cold and hungry, he obviously relaxed too much, and he didn't hear anyone coming upstairs.Fortunately, he still remembered how to deal with it: pretending to be someone from the chamber of commerce, saying that he just came from Harbor City.

He turned his head pretending to be calm, and saw a familiar pale gold that almost dazzled his eyes.

He staggered back a few steps in fright.

Ryan closed the door behind his back and walked slowly towards him.