I will be crowned king

"To my best friend and rival, Anson Bach:

When you read this letter, Freya and I should already be on the carriage heading to Long Lake Town. We will catch a certain ship heading to Sailing City at the port of Red Hand Bay - in the name of friends, I hope you won't stop me.

Forgive me for leaving without saying goodbye, because I really don’t know how to meet you now in various ways; half of me regards you as an evil in the world that must be eliminated, and the other half keeps explaining the certainty of all this. There is a reason. The situation is definitely not what I saw. There must be some factors that I don't know that lead to this result.

I am trapped in this completely contradictory thought and cannot extricate myself. In order to avoid you seeing me losing my composure, leaving quietly may be more suitable for the current situation.

Of course, this doesn’t require you to explain anything, it’s just that it may take me a while to figure out some things - we are friends, which means that I will never have the slightest doubt about you, and it also means that when you do something If you do something wrong, I will be the first to stand up and stop you.

Even if the cost is my life, I will never look back.

Before departure, your technical advisor told me that he might have a way to restore Freya to normal, but this would require your help - if this is true, please be sure to write and tell me that Louis Bernard will never Forget this kindness.

Dear Anson, I have too many questions to ask you. Why did the Old Gods of the Land of Rest attack Beluga Harbor so desperately? Why did you suddenly disappear? After your disappearance, why did you become... what you are now? Look, what does the "Purple Moon" that killed the Lord of the Abyss have to do with you...

But I know that some questions are not so easy to answer, and there may not even be an answer; I just want to tell you that these will not affect our friendship.

You are a rigorous and observant guy, and you always look so confident on the outside; but I understand that you are not a ring of order, but you have made more preparations than anyone else, observed more carefully than anyone else, and made more decisions than anyone else. Be more decisive—which means you won’t hesitate to grab the last straw when something comes up.

And the more times like this, the more I hesitate, hesitate, and get stuck on certain issues, and would rather fail than take that step to turn the situation around.

I think this may be the biggest difference between us; but it is also because of this that two souls who originally just passed each other became friends - at least, that's what I think.

Finally... if you need any help, or if you have anything you want me to know, don't worry, just send the letter to Sailing City; no matter the result, there will be a reply.

Your ally, your opponent, your friend, Louis Bernard.

yours truly. "

...The rickety four-wheeled carriage was speeding through the early morning wilderness, its cheerful wheels rolling up ice and snow, decorating the simple carriage with a layer of light silver mist.

The young knight leaning against the car window looked out at the hazy White Whale Harbor, holding the unconscious elf girl in his arms. Pain and confusion flashed alternately in his pupils.

In his previous thinking, the Ring of Order was the only correct belief. All the Old Gods who followed the Evil God were out-and-out "evil forces". Spellcasters enslaved by the power of the Three Old Gods, blasphemous mages and even apostles , is an existence that must be eliminated.

The destruction of the Cressy family and the death of his brother Kroger greatly deepened his knowledge in this regard.

But what happened next seemed to continue to break this "inherent impression."

The resurgent Yser Elves and the Council of Thirteen only hoped to regain the tradition and glory of the past, but they suffered the most brutal blow from the Church of Order. They did not hesitate to send the Judgment Knights to create a shocking bombing in a country's capital.

The destruction of the Cressy family, something that was once taken for granted in his eyes, began to become foggy. It was far from being as simple as it seemed. It was just because of their connection with the Old God Sect.

Even further, do all people related to the Old God Sect have to be "purified"?

Assuming this is really the case, then the entire White Whale Port will not escape death and must be eradicated - because if it weren't for Anson who became the blasphemous mage and the last "Purple Moon", they would never be able to escape from the resting land of the old gods. Survive the threat of Pi.

...Including myself.

So what is the right thing to do, so that it does not violate faith and can save those innocent and weak people, so that it truly meets the definition of a... "knight"?

Louis was miserable.

He once thought that he could just stay away and hide with Freya in a small church outside the world, but he finally realized how naive this idea was - some questions would never leave unless they were answered. .

Anson Bach, he could give the answer without hesitation, but he couldn't... Not only could he not give it, he would even be afraid of the answer even when he knew it, afraid of the truth that might destroy his entire world.

Quietly in the car, Louis' eyes fell on Freya's cheek. The corners of the sleeping elf girl's mouth seemed to be rising vaguely, just like in the past, even if she didn't know what she was saying or looking at. , will still smile quietly at myself.

Although the sky outside the window was still shrouded in leaden gray clouds, and only the faint morning light could be seen on the horizon at the end of the field of vision, the young knight felt as if his whole body was illuminated by the sun, and countless pains were fleeting.

………………

Beluga Harbor Headquarters, Prison.

Joseph, who was shackled and tied to a chair with iron chains, curled his lips and looked at the deputy commander of the Storm Legion, a former Guards officer, and his dearest nephew with very disappointed eyes.

Just a little bit, just a little bit closer, I can completely get rid of the Gravekeepers, the Faithless Knights, the Cressy family, the Clovis people and this damn prison, and set foot on the road again with my dear nephew. An adventurous career with an uncertain future, and a happy life that is not restricted by anyone.

But after all calculations, I never realized that the boy who haunted me when I was a child and had endless longing for the sea decisively chose the latter between the boring and cumbersome freedom and endless responsibilities...

"So, what are you going to do to me?" Joseph said gloomily.

"On the contrary, it is not what we want you to do, but what you want, my dear Uncle Joseph."

With a relaxed expression, Fabian unscrewed the cork of the rum bottle and poured wine for himself and Joseph. He said in a deep voice with a clear voice: "Whether it is the Storm Legion who was harmed by you or the general who was almost assassinated by you. Commander, and as your nephew, I have no hostility toward you."

"Really?" Joseph rolled his eyes and took the glass, and couldn't help but hum: "Then do I have to thank you for your generosity?"

"That's not necessary."

Fabian also picked up the wine glass and let the tawny wine slurry sway in the glass: "But if you really want to thank me, you might as well take some practical actions to make up for the mistakes and harm you caused before."

"for example……"

"This kind of 'repaying favor' mainly depends on you, but if I have to decide for you... serving as the deputy commander of the shooting army would be a very good way."

"..."

Joseph, who was suddenly silent, was stunned. His face, which had been stiff for half a minute, showed an expression of disbelief:

"are you serious?"

"At least I don't think lying will help this conversation." Fabian wrote lightly, but his calm eyes were enough to express his thoughts at the moment:

"Moby Harbor has just experienced an unforgettable night. The Shooting Army lacks qualified officers. With your military qualities, uncle, if you are willing to lend a helping hand at this time, or even provide more help, you will be greatly appreciated by the entire army." ."

"Of course, if you don't want to, we won't force you. You can leave Ice Dragon Fjord at any time and go to wherever you want to go."

"...Are you sure you can let me go?"

"Once again, I have no need to lie." Fabian said expressionlessly:

"The Faithless Knights are finished, and so is the Crecy family. Except for a very few fugitives, there are not many forces or individuals in the New World that can threaten us; even if there are, they would rather become the Commander-in-Chief. Friends, not enemies.”

"That's why you dare to let me serve as the deputy commander of the shooting army?" Joseph's expression was a little ugly:

"Do you feel that if I don't take refuge with you, I won't have anywhere to go?"

"That's your own opinion."

Fabian shook his head: "The colony is a place that doesn't care about your background, only your ability. Choosing to hire you only considers whether your experience and qualifications meet our needs, and it has nothing to do with your past."

This is the absolute truth. If you really want to "prove yourself innocent", I am afraid that no one in the entire Storm Legion, including the commander-in-chief and chief of staff, has a clean resume. I am looking for someone here who is "pure and loyal" Officer Clovis, it was no less difficult than raising his head and shooting the moon...but Joseph's face looked even more ugly.

This time he hesitated for a long time. After realizing that he could not get rid of the Storm Legion unless he waited until summer, he finally raised his glass reluctantly: "...I accept this job, but I also have several conditions."

"First, you can supervise me and even restrict my personal freedom, but the time cannot exceed half a year; second, if there is any military conflict, you cannot ask me to pay the price of my life for you."

"no problem!"

Fabian raised his eyebrows: "Are there any other conditions? If these are the only ones, I can promise you now on behalf of the legion - I can even establish a written agreement."

"That's not necessary."

Joseph waved his hand... If Anson Bach was not prepared to take action, there would be no need for this form; if he must die, even autographs would not be able to protect his own life.

The two of them clinked their glasses together, raised their heads and drank the whole drink.

"Sometimes, I really regret it." Putting down the wine glass, Joseph couldn't help but sigh: "If I had just had a heart and brought you to the new world, maybe there wouldn't have been so many things. .”

"It is indeed possible."

Fabian nodded seriously, and then changed the subject: "But even if you had it to do over again, you wouldn't do that."

"……Why do you say that?"

"Because dear Uncle Joseph, you are a person who truly loves freedom - or, in other words, fears responsibility." Fabian said coldly:

"Family, property, wealth, hometown...including me, I was an out-and-out burden in your eyes back then, an obstacle between you and 'freedom'."

"Even if you know today's fate, even if you do it over thousands of times, you will still choose to board the ship from Beigang alone. This is you..."

Looking at the slightly ferocious, aggrieved and complaining face, Fabian put down his wine glass lightly:

"…my dear Uncle Joseph."

……………………

William Gottfried stood in front of the gate of the arsenal, looking at the nervous workers who had changed into uniforms and lined up in a row in the open space outside the door, as if waiting for the judge to pronounce the crime and sentence. prisoner.

They are afraid.

If being forcibly moved from Clovis City to Beluga Port was just a matter of changing places and working for a different employer, what happened last night finally made these workers truly realize one very important thing - this is not the lord and the church. The old world under their rule is now a colony filled with demons.

In Clovis, their enemies were employers, supervisors hired by employers, policemen, and gangsters—sometimes the identities of the latter three would be interchanged or overlapping; while in the colonies, they had to face fanatics, indigenous people, and fanatics. , the Old Gods and even...evil gods.

The workers who finally realized the difference between the two did not intend to stay here and wait to die. Many of them already had the urge to leave; and in the entire Beluga Port, the only person who was trustworthy in their eyes was the one in front of them. Bit……

"Fugitive."

William suddenly said: "I have thought carefully about it for a long time. If any of you plan to leave the colony, what crimes will you be wanted by the Kingdom of Clovis?"

"Because this is a colony, you are workers in the colonial arsenal, and your employer is the colonial governor - so when you try to be fired or leave without permission, you will be wanted as fugitives."

"Of course, this is a colony, and the status of a fugitive is not a big deal, but considering your current situation... it is difficult for you to leave by boat from Beluga Harbor without permission, and this is the only place within a few dozen kilometers. If you leave a large settlement rashly, your chances of freezing to death will be ten times higher, starvation is five times higher, disease is five times higher, and the chance of being accidentally killed or becoming prey of the indigenous people will be..."

"All in all, taking into account all factors, I have formulated a relatively feasible plan to successfully leave the colony and return to the mainland - yes, you are not the only ones forced to come here."

"The first step of this plan is to complete the orders of the Colonial Corps and ensure that we can get enough income to maintain our material needs, as well as sanitation, health, leisure and entertainment needs."

As he spoke, William, expressionless, took out a drawing from his arms:

"I designed a company-level support weapon, and the commander-in-chief promised a good reward, so..."

"Which of you is interested?"