Kingdom’s Bloodline

♂!

"What is magic in your impression?"

"Blast the grass into white ground with powerful fireballs? Use psychedelic magic tricks to deceive the world and pursue power? Use tricks like street juggling to win the cheers and admiration of foolish nobles? Use mysterious decorations that are extremely powerful in the eyes of others Your own status and appearance? Or destroying your enemies in repeated battles and killings, bringing ridiculous pleasure and satisfaction?"

Thales lowered his head thoughtfully. m. Lewen Mobile Network

But his heart was already shaking.

magic.

magic?

What exactly is magic...

"You know, a long time ago, I always felt that mages are powerful people who just waved a fireball," the prince said with a little ecstasy, "or stay in the tower and don't go out, researching a magic weapon that can destroy the world." spells, or some old pedant who is obsessed with truth...but you tell me now..."

Ashida leaned back on the back of his chair and snorted coldly.

"Indeed, the magic system of the Soul Tower is the biggest heresy in the history of magic. At the beginning, it was not recognized by other mages at all: they ridiculed us as 'magicians', and we retorted that they were just 'magicians'."

"For example, the Alchemy Tower stubbornly believes that magic is to deeply study the relationship between human beings and nature, and save the latter's resources for their own use - it is not surprising that they have such thoughts, after all, the Alchemy Tower known as the 'War Tower' The tower rose up in the war between humans and ancient orcs, started with killing and practicality, and relied on survival and victory—very close to the kind of mage you said who threw fireballs and specialized in spells."

"But we are different." The magician's tone was full of seriousness and caution: "The idea of ​​the Tower of Souls eventually shocked the entire history of magic, and even ascetics and alchemists were deeply affected."

Thales frowned: "You mean..."

"If magic can't provide some meaning to the world, give some possibilities to the future, and give some value to human beings besides satisfying one's own temperature and desire..." Ashida turned her head, narrowed her eyes, her face was obviously calm, but And it's stressful.

"Then we have worked hard to assemble mages, summed up calculations, continued to specialize in research, passed on the seeds and concepts of magic one after another, and continued to pursue further progress amidst doubts and criticisms... What's the point of these things?"

"If magic is simply a slave to the user,

Become a tool for selfishness and a capital to show off your status, as a coat of dignity and capital to realize your desires, as an excuse for mages to remain independent and claim to be aloof," Ashida's expression was still very stiff, but Tyre Si, however, felt inexplicably that there was a deeper layer of emotion hidden behind his face: "The existence of the mage is also related to the princes and nobles who fight for power and profit, the farmers and hunters who only want food and clothing, the battlefield fighters who kill the enemy and do meritorious deeds, and the profit-seekers. What is the difference between a merchant craftsman and a pretentious hermit? "

"As mages, what is the need for us to pursue truth and correctness, and for what reason?"

"To survive? To live better? To live better? To live for others to see? To become smarter and stronger, and then let countless people who are stupid and weaker than you lie on the ground to marvel at your achievements and worship your status?"

"No, Thales," Ashida said slowly, "That's definitely not a mage, at least not a mage we recognize, but a silverfish with the word 'magic' written on the only fig leaf. "

Thales thought deeply about the other party's words, and couldn't help being fascinated: "Is this also part of the magician course?"

Ashida nodded solemnly: "Of course, and it's very important."

"Don't let the existing framework imprison yourself, Thales, let your mind fly."

Thales stared at him blankly.

The magician sighed slowly—Thales almost forgot the fact that he could still breathe: "Remember what I said? In the Tower of Soul, in the concept of the Seat of Ten Thousand Laws, Magic is a choice, not a monotonous tool or method, and a mage is a kind of identity, not a tacky status or identity."

"And this is my choice, and my identity back then," Ashida looked into his eyes, "It's also my magic."

Ashida fell silent.

But Thales was immersed in the shocking dialogue and couldn't return for a long time.

"Mr. Sakern, what kind of place is the Tower of Soul?" He asked dreamily.

Ashida paused.

Three seconds later, the magician slowly clasped his hands.

"The Tower of Soul," Ashida said very slowly, with a low voice, as if a layer of sandpaper was placed in the back of her throat: "The sacred place of mages, the hope of apprentices, the future of magic, countless thoughts and ideas collide fiercely there. "

"The truth we think is washed and honed in lectures and discussions again and again, and countless like-minded peers move forward step by step in the debate with each other."

"Every day is a new day, because there is always something new waiting for you, and there is always someone new in the future, because there is always something old left behind, and someone old..."

At that moment, Ashida seemed to remember something, he stopped talking, but looked down at the chessboard.

It's like breaking some taboo.

His face darkened, and the blue light in his eyes gradually disappeared.

Thales noticed the teacher's expression and abnormality, so he wisely stopped asking.

Everyone has their own story.

But not everyone is willing to confide.

not to mention……

"Hearing what you said, I really want to see it with my own eyes," Thales sighed, "It seems that the Tower of Soul is a great and beautiful place."

Ashida raised her head suddenly

"Of course not." This time, the magician's tone became extraordinarily cold, "Even the Soul Tower has its own filth and darkness, ugliness and compromise."

"After all, mages are just human beings."

"Remember, Thales, an organization, a place, a group, as long as it is composed of people," the magician stared at Thales closely: "It will never be so beautiful."

"It's just like the vortex you are in, in this game."

The prince raised his eyebrows, a little embarrassed: "Huh?"

But Ashida ignored him, and just turned her head to look outside the box.

"Perhaps this is the limit of human beings."

Thales swore that after the last word, he heard an imperceptible sigh from the magician.

In this picture under the setting sun, the magician's face is still handsome, but there are some lines that are not usually there out of thin air.

It seems that the painter drew a few more strokes.

"get out of class is over."

Ashida looked at the setting sun and said softly.

In the next second, before Thales even had time to show his astonishment, the magician's figure faded away.

"Alas," Thales sighed helplessly, looking at the empty seats and the general's chessboard again: "It's like this again."

So, once again, Thales finished his day out playing chess, and accompanied by Justin, Wyatt and others, he prepared to return in a dispirited manner.

Enough surprises for today.

Maybe he shouldn't add any more burden to himself, considering the weirdness in Longxiao City...

Um?

Thales raised his head strangely, looking at the commotion ahead.

"What's going on here?" The former deputy commander of the White Blade Guard, Lord Justin passed the prince and looked at the situation in front of him angrily.

At the door of the chess and card room, dozens of soldiers of the Grand Duke's personal guards coldly held down their weapons and confronted tensely with a dozen strange soldiers who came from the next alley.

Those soldiers were obviously not from Longxiao City, they were murderous and showed no sign of weakness.

Behind them is a brown and black closed carriage.

Wyah and Rolf looked at each other, not knowing why.

Thales frowned, and saw clearly the leader of those strange soldiers—it was a female soldier with a round head and a round face.

"Prince Thales, on behalf of the Black Sand Collar, I extend an invitation to talk to you," the current deputy commander of the White Blade Guard, Lady Croythy Michael, with a distant expression, turned to the Black Sand Collar soldier behind her. The carriage under the guard waved its arms and said coldly:

"The Viscount Cambida is in the carriage. He invites you to step into the carriage and give him a few minutes to talk."

Thales was slightly taken aback.

how……

"Talk? Now?"

Doubts and vigilance arose in Thales' heart: "What does Cambida want to tell me?"

"I don't know," Croythe said softly, with a cold light in his eyes: "That's your judgment."

At this moment, the voice of Viscount Canbida came from a distance from the direction of the carriage:

"I promise, Your Highness, if you miss this carriage, you will regret it in the future."

"Trust me, it's critical."

Thales' heart trembled.

regret but too late? crucial?

"Why do you need to get in the carriage?" Thales narrowed his eyes and said vigilantly, "We can go upstairs, or find another place."

"Why in the carriage?"

"Look around you." Croaish glanced at the Grand Duke's guards with an unpleasant look, "In Dragon Clouds City, within ten meters of you, is there any private place?"

Justin, who was in charge of defending Thales, tightened his face.

Thales looked at Croise in surprise, and then at the carriage behind her.

strangeness.

Black sand collar... talk to me.

at this time?

Hell, why isn't Puttilai here?

"Impossible!" The vigilant Lord Justin directly rejected the other party: "If you want to see the prince, you can..."

"We've had enough of the blockade of Dragon Clouds City," Croathi said without flinching, she ignored her predecessor: "Your Highness, this is the closest we have been to you in a month, believe me, we Just wanted to talk to you."

Thales, who had countless thoughts flashing through his mind, was about to speak, but Justin preempted him.

"Ash, I still remember how you were when you were a child." Lord Justin took a step forward, with an increasingly ugly expression on his face: "I have a good relationship with your father, and I am very glad that you have become the White Blade Guard. so……"

"Don't make me do it."

Behind him, Thales took a deep breath.

So to say……

"Then you'd better do it now, Uncle Justin," Croythe said coldly, "or let the prince decide for himself—he's a guest, not a prisoner!"

Justin's face turned cold, and he was about to press his weapon, and the Grand Duke's guards around him also prepared to strike with unkind faces.

at this moment.

"Lord Justin!"

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the prince stepped forward lightly.

Thales raised his hand and pressed Justin's shoulder.

at this time?

The prince looked at the carriage led by Heisha, and his thoughts turned.

At a time when the relationship between Exeter and the Liberty League was delicate.

When the news of Qiyuan City was uncertain.

When Dragon Clouds City was in a dilemma.

The people from Heisha collar want to talk to me, a powerless and embarrassing enemy prince?

So suspicious.

Thales shook his head and said to Justin: "This is Dragon Cloud City, and they are the king's special envoys. It is unwise to have unnecessary conflicts—and you know what kind of situation we are in."

Justin frowned fiercely: "But you know, they are black sand collars after all..."

Wyatt couldn't help saying: "With all due respect, Your Highness, your safety..."

"Listen to me!" Thales turned his head and looked at his own people.

"Facing the king, the Grand Duchess needs new information—there is no doubt that this is an opportunity to see what they have in mind for Dragon Clouds City." He said to the frowning Justin, "For Dragon Clouds City."

Justin choked for words.

"And she was right—I was a guest."

"Huiya, the carriage is here, and I won't disappear out of thin air." Thales smiled at his attendant.

Justin and Wyah looked at each other, feeling uneasy.

"Besides," the prince calmly turned to Croaish, looked at the soldiers behind her, and said, "Everyone in Heisha will guarantee my safety, won't you?"

Croaish nodded, pressed her right chest, and said respectfully, "I swear on my life and the king's honor."

"You'll be out of the car in a few minutes."

Thales looked at Justin and Wyah, who were still in doubt, and shrugged.

It was Rolf who nodded at him.

"Go and inform the boss and the earl." In the end, Lord Justin nodded hesitantly, but at the same time he cautiously ordered to his subordinates: "Make sure they know about this as soon as possible."

"Do you know how important you are, Your Highness?" Wyatt stared at the carriage with an ugly face: "As the meteorite said, you can always find problems for us."

The prince smiled.

"That's why I need you, Wyah, and you, Midilla."

He gently pushed away the two personal guards standing in front of him, and accompanied by Wyatt and Rolf, he walked into the formation of the black sand leader.

The attendant and the ghost with the wind were stopped in front of the carriage with unchanging faces.

Thales threw the book in his hand to Wyatt, and walked alone.

No matter what the black sand leader wants to tell you, Thales.

Be calm and cautious.

You have seen the power of Rumba and the cunning of Cambida.

Facing your worst enemy, be careful.

In the next second, Thales, whose heart was as calm as the surface of a lake, opened the door and boarded the unlit carriage.

In the carriage, the silhouette of Cambida was sitting quietly in the darkness, and the clothes on his body were faintly visible.

"I always feel that this is your revenge for my refusal to talk to you alone on the road." Thales closed the car door, exhaled, and sat opposite Cambida: "Viscount Cambida..."

But the prince was shocked immediately!

That's not Cambida.

That is……

"Long time no see, Thales," the other party gently raised his gaze from the saber between his knees:

"Are you old enough to drink?"

That is……

How dare they...

At this moment, Thales' mind was almost blank.

In the carriage, the owner of the black sand collar, the thirty-sixth king of Exeter, Charmain Rumba, opened a pair of eyes shining with cold light in the deep darkness.