A Tale of Strategies For the Throne

"Trust me, jump down—"

Novi knelt on the edge of the cliff and looked at Garlan who opened his hand to him below.

His hands were clenched tightly.

The dark blue eyes shimmered, clearly struggling fiercely.

Can't trust that person.

No one can believe it.

...The people he could trust are no longer alive...

He also has a blood feud.

He must live, by any means necessary.

From such a high place, he would probably die if he jumped.

And if he catches him as the man said, the other person's arm will definitely suffer a lot of damage, and may even be broken.

So, what if the person below was just lying to him...or if he regretted it halfway...

That's right, can't believe it.

In this world, no one can be trusted except yourself.

Novi's fingertips dug almost deeply into the earth. He took a deep breath and forced himself to look away from Garlan below.

Whatever.

In the first place, the matter had nothing to do with this person. It was him who got him involved.

So it doesn't matter if this person can escape, he won't feel guilty.

As for myself, just follow the idea just now, throw yourself directly into the All Things Religion, and use the power of the All Things Religion to avenge yourself.

The child thought, stood up, turned around and walked back the way he came.

At the end of the long road, in the stone gate, several followers of the All Things Cult wearing black and blue robes had appeared from it.

Seeing the boy standing alone in front of the broken road, they looked surprised and rushed towards him impatiently.

Novi stood expressionlessly at the end of the broken road, looking at the cultists approaching him.

Soon, he will become one of them.

He even did the same thing as them, killing countless innocent children as sacrifices...

No matter how indifferent his face was, the child's clenched knuckles were extremely white.

Do you really want to become one of these monsters in human skin?

Do you want to be like these people and kill innocent children with your own hands and bleed their blood?

Is he really... going to become the person he once hated the most?

One thought is hell.

The child looked blankly at his hands.

He just remembered the warmth of his sister's hand...the same as that person's hand...

[Come, follow me. 】

[Run forward, don’t look back. 】

【Believe me! 】

…

The important prey was right in front of him, and the child with nowhere to go seemed to have given up on escaping and stood there blankly, motionless.

The child lowered his head and bit his lower lip. His fluffy and messy forehead hair was scattered in front of his eyes, blocking most of his face, making it difficult for people to see the expression on his face.

The believers of the Cult of All Things don't care what their prey is thinking at the moment. After all, the order they received was just to capture the victim alive.

The man at the front was only a few steps away from the boy.

Less than a hundred meters away.

Just a few more seconds.

Arriving soon, he stretched out his hand and grabbed the child who was close at hand——

However, at this moment, the child who had been standing quietly suddenly turned around.

The child rushed towards the broken road ahead.

Even though there was a high cliff ahead, he used all his strength to rush forward.

Then, jump.

The outstretched hand of the believer of the All Things Religion at the front was empty.

He opened his eyes wide, but he could only watch the thin figure falling before his eyes.

…

One thought of hell.

A thought of heaven.

The weightless body fell from the sky.

The wind howled in my ears, and there was a terrible buzzing sound.

The wind that brushed his cheek cut his skin like a knife.

The heart almost stopped beating and jumped out of the mouth.

He struggled to open his eyes, but was shocked to see that the young man waiting at the bottom of the cliff had retreated to a place some distance away from where he fell.

His heart suddenly became frightened.

Dying?

he thinks.

Did he believe it wrong? So is he going to die here?

At this moment, the young man standing not far away suddenly moved.

Garlan rushed towards the place where Novi fell.

The moment before Novi was about to fall to the ground, Garlan jumped forward.

He did not directly reach out to pick up Novi, but reached out and grabbed Novi's hand and collar, and pulled hard in the air.

Viewed from the side, it looked like Gallan bumped forward, knocking Novi, who had fallen vertically, away sideways.

Novi only felt his body being pulled by a strong force, and his whole body rolled in the air.

He was pulled and turned by Garlan, and then hugged.

The two drew an arc in the air and fell to the ground diagonally.

The huge momentum and inertia made them unable to stop, and the two of them rolled on the ground for more than ten times without stopping.

Finally, with a pop, he rolled and fell into the underground river not far away, causing large splashes of water.

Novi was dizzy and dizzy from the sudden roll just now, and suddenly fell into the water. He who couldn't swim was so frightened that he started struggling desperately.

Just after he choked several times in panic, someone pulled him up from the water as he was about to sink.

As soon as he surfaced, he didn't care about anything else. He subconsciously hugged the person who picked him up tightly, and then coughed violently until the corners of his eyes turned red.

Fortunately, he is now wet all over and his face is so wet that it is impossible to tell whether the water dripping from the corners of his red eyes is the water droplets running down from his forehead, or...

He thought that it must be just physiological tears that he coughed up, and it didn't mean anything else.

With this thought in mind, he suppressed the soreness coming from the tip of his nose and continued to cough desperately.

While coughing, he firmly grasped the person next to him.

After a while, he regained his breath and slowly opened his eyes.

As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw the young man right in front of him.

The young man was originally covered in dust, and his face was so gray and black with dust and blood stains that it was almost impossible to recognize his original appearance.

But at this moment, the originally gray long hair was soaked in the water, revealing its original luster like flowing gold, and it seemed to be shining even in the dim underground.

Most of his face was washed away, revealing the boy's true face.

The child's dark blue pupils shrank violently for a moment.

At this moment, he seemed to have returned to the past.

A long time ago, in that bright garden, when his important people were still around him, his father smiled and unfolded a picture of a beautiful blond boy in front of his and his sister's eyes.

"...Garlan...Crown Prince?"

He stared blankly at the face that was the same as in the portrait, and shouted the name as if in sleep.

Carrying the already sluggish boy, Garlan smiled at him, and then took him to swim towards the river.

They rolled down the underground river under the inertia and rushed a little far away from the shore.

After struggling to swim to the river, Garlan just stretched out his hand, but before he could grab the rocks by the river, he suddenly heard a creak and an arm wearing a black and red gauntlet stretched out in front of his eyes and grabbed his hand. .

At the same time, a familiar voice sounded.

"I'm sorry I'm late, Your Majesty."

The blond knight kneeling on one knee by the river held his Majesty's hand firmly.

He held on tightly, and looked at Garlan steadily with one eye, as if he was afraid that if he let go or blinked, the other person would disappear before his eyes.

He looked at Garlan without blinking, smiled and said, "I'm glad to see with my own eyes that you are safe and sound."

Following Caijos's words, the little black mouse squatting obediently at his feet squeaked twice, as if asking for credit.

After all, even if the road to the underground palace was opened by removing the rubble, without the little black rat sniffing out the scent to lead them the way, it would have been impossible for Kehos and his party to find Gal so quickly in this vast, maze-like underground palace. orchid.

In addition to Kayhos, dozens of elite knights who had followed Kayhos down to search were also kneeling behind.

The knights' faces either showed relief or joy.

"Fortunately, it's not too late, a little earlier than I thought."

Garlan smiled.

He knew Caihos would find him soon, so even if he didn't know the way out, he wasn't very nervous.

He trusted his guardian knight.

It's always been like this.

"Kaythos, didn't you find any trace of Heimos on the way here?"

After scanning the crowd and not finding that familiar figure, Garlan asked.

Cayjos shook his head.

"No trace of Lord Heimos has been found."

"Uh... It seems that when I come out in the future, the sachet you gave me will have to be given to Heimos."

"I didn't think well enough."

Kehos answered.

He also didn't expect that Heimos would actually separate from Garlan.

After all, whenever he went out, Heimos would always follow Garlan closely, never leaving.

"Ah, yes, go on."

Gallan finally remembered that he was holding a child in his arms, and both of them were still soaked in the water.

He pushed the child to the shore.

Caijos stretched out his other hand to grab it, lifted the child out of the water with a gentle lift, and put it aside.

Then, he lifted Garlan up from the underground river with both hands.

The child didn't seem to have come back to his senses yet, staring blankly at Garlan.

"Did you save this child?"

"Well..."

Standing by the river, Garlan casually twisted his wet hair.

He looked at Kehos and asked, "You sent someone to summon you before, saying that you rescued the prince of West Asia."

When Garlan said these words, he glanced to the side, and he clearly saw the expression of the little boy who was originally dull suddenly change.

"I'm sorry, the cultists deceived me with a substitute. The prince I rescued was fake."

Caihos said, "I have sent a group of knights to accompany the knights of Canal to continue their search."

As for whether he found it or not, he didn't know.

After all, Garlan was in danger at that time, so how could he care about the West Asian prince.

Keep the change, please.

Gallan said, then lowered his head and smiled at 'Novi' who pursed his lips.

"Right, Prince of West Asia?"

He didn't think much about it at first, thinking that the child was just a sacrifice who took advantage of the chaos to escape. Later, he gradually felt that something was wrong.

This little boy doesn't behave like an ordinary child.

Although he looks very thin and his eyes are a little fierce, his actions and gestures seem to have been well taught etiquette - not deliberately, but because he has become accustomed to it and has become natural.

And...it's just an ordinary sacrifice, and the followers of the All Things Cult will not be so crazy.

Later, what 'Novi' said made him confirm his guess.

When Garlan said this, the child's pupils trembled. Xia raised her head and looked at the young man in front of her with complicated eyes.

The one he looked forward to day and night.

He had imagined countless times the moment when he would meet the crown prince.

How to talk to the other party, how to show weakness, and how to impress the other party to help you.

He had already simulated it countless times in his heart.

But he never expected that his meeting with the former Crown Prince of Aaron Landis and the current King of Aaron Landis would be in such an incredible way.

Kayhos was stunned for a moment when Garlan said those words, and then turned to look at Siya.

"...Prince of West Asia?"

he said, looking at Thea with a clearly questioning look.

After a moment of silence, Sia nodded.

"yes."

he admitted.

"I am the Prince of Sia of Karnal."

He leaned over and knelt in front of Garlan.

"Thank you for rescuing me from the Cult of All Things, King Garlan. I have been looking forward to meeting you. I..."

He opened his mouth, but for a moment he didn't know what to say.

There was a bit of confusion in Xia's eyes.

Some indescribable emotion filled his chest, which swelled so much that it made his heart ache.

I obviously have a lot to say, but I don’t know what to say.

In a daze, he remembered that day again.

In the garden bathed in bright sunshine, the portrait unfolded, the father holding the portrait, and Sister Wang touching her head as if comforting...

He closed his eyes and clenched his hands.

Sister Wang.

This must be your guide.

You have been guarding me in heaven, and then you guided me to this person.

You are actually always by my side... right?

"I……"

"Whether it's a thank you or something else, there will still be a long time for you to say it in the future."

Gallan said,

"I still have to find someone now, so don't waste time. It's time to go. Follow me."

Find someone?

Xia was startled for a moment. When she looked up, she saw that Garlan had left. Regardless of the complicated thoughts in her heart, she quickly got up and chased after him.

He followed Garlan step by step. Thinking of the conversation he just heard between Garlan and Kayhos, he asked in a low voice: "Are you going to find that... Lord Heimos?" ?"

Heimos.

Of course he knew this man.

This is the black knight that my former self admired very much.

Before Garlan could answer, Kayhos suddenly spoke.

"Something's wrong."

He frowned and looked at the underground river aside, with a solemn look in his eyes.

"Your Majesty, I smell blood."

Kehos said,

"Coming from the upper reaches of this underground river."

"………………"

Garlan stopped.

"His Majesty?"

"Does it smell like blood..."

After a moment of silence, Garlan spoke.

"Follow this underground river and go upstream."

"But……"

"It's more possible to find special places to meet than to search aimlessly."

Gallan said, "If you can feel Caihos, then Heimos should also be able to feel the abnormalities there, and he will most likely go there as well."

In order to find him, Heimos will definitely not let go of any abnormal or dangerous place.

"and……"

"and?"

"……nothing."

Garlan looked towards the upstream direction of the underground river.

Obviously he didn't have as keen a sense of smell as Caihos, but he seemed to feel it, and the faint smell of decay and blood filled the air.

The same aura as in his dream brought some ominous omen.

It's like something terrible is about to happen in that direction...

…………

Garlan and his group walked upstream along the narrow underground river. Everyone moved forward very quickly. Siya, who was moving a little slowly, was carried by a knight.

The place they had been walking should be deeper underground in the stone temple. It was pitch black and there were almost no traces of artificial carvings.

Fortunately, Caihos brought torches with him when he brought people down to look for Garlan, so they could move forward in the dark underground cave.

Not long after walking, more and more people, not just Caihos, also smelled the smell of blood.

The further up you go, the stronger the smell of blood becomes.

As they continued to move forward, everyone discovered that the water in the underground river had changed color.

And the further up, the darker the color becomes.

By the end, it was clearly visible in the dim light of the torches that the water in the underground river had turned red.

At this time, Garlan and his party had reached the source of this underground river.

In this underground grotto, which is as vast as the sky, underground rivers flow out from the cracks in the mountain-like stone wall in front of it.

It is surrounded by black rocks and jagged rocks.

This area is rich in Yin Qi, exuding a strange coldness that can penetrate into the bones. The insects and spiders that can be seen everywhere in the underground have disappeared, as if living things here cannot survive, and there is no life at all.

Even the moss that was all over the stone walls and gaps just now disappeared here.

Along the way, the dark underground cave suddenly became illuminated.

Everyone saw that there were finally artificial traces ahead.

Dozens of rough stone steps appeared in front, and short stone pillars with burning braziers at the top stood on both sides of the stone steps, shining a faint firelight in this vast underground grotto.

On the rough stone steps, a huge stone gate stood in front of everyone.

This stone gate is more than ten meters high and looks very majestic.

People standing under this door can only look up, looking extremely small.

The jet black stone exudes a dark atmosphere, and the black and blue copper patterns wrap around the stone door. Reflecting the firelight, it emits a cold sheen unique to metal, making it look like a bronze door.

The jet black stone is wrapped in bronze and hollowed out, showing complex patterns on the edge of the stone door.

In the middle of the stone gate, a huge rune is outlined in bronze carvings.

There was silence, no one spoke.

The weak firelight reflected the stone door. In the gaps under the stone door, streams of bright red liquid flowed out from under the stone door like trickling water, flowing through the flat black and blue stone slab in front of the stone door, and then along the rough The stone steps flow down.

Like a waterfall of blood.

The strong smell of blood was overwhelming, and the blood flowing down the stone steps flowed into the underground river, dyeing the water in it blood-colored.

The scene in front of them made everyone look solemn.

They had vaguely guessed that behind this huge stone door, the cultists of the All Things Cult were probably doing extremely terrible things.

The boy's voice sounded in the darkness, breaking the heavy silence at this moment.

"Come in."

Garlan said, taking the lead and walking forward.

Stepping on the rough stone steps dripping with blood, the soles of his boots were instantly stained with blood.

When they walked up the bleeding stone steps to the bluestone square above, everyone was stunned.

The knights looked ahead in disbelief, each one frozen in place as if turned to stone.

Someone was coming towards them.

Walking towards them from under the majestic bronze-inlaid stone door.

The man stopped in front of the stone gate, like the guardian of the stone gate.

The jet-black boots stepped on the blood that gurgled out from under the stone gate, splashing bright red blood beads around.

The silver-white sword was pointed at the ground, and the faint firelight reflected the familiar handsome face.

He stepped on the blood flowing on the ground and walked towards the crowd.

Under the jet-black hair, the blood-red pupils reflected Garlan and everyone on the opposite side, surging with naked murderous intent.