Dragon Clouds City, Bright Moon Temple, in a secluded room.
Putray looked at the busy Constellatiate soldiers not far away and could not help but let out a long sigh.
In the first half of his life, he had experienced failures — in fact, the failures he had seen were more terrifying, and the price they paid was heavier.
For example, twelve years ago.
But now …
Putray suddenly felt that the pipe in his hand was very heavy, and he lost the desire to take a puff.
This was very rare for someone like him who valued smoking as much as his life.
King Kessel used his bloodline as a hostage to try to eliminate the scourge of war. It should have been a generous and sincere act that the whole country would praise.
But now, it had turned into a disaster.
The prince was involved in the death of the King of Eckstedt, bringing about the worst situation that should have been avoided.
Worse still, the Jadestar Royal Family would once again suffer a huge blow to their reputation.
'After that child returns to Constellation, what he has to face …' Putray recalled Thales' dejected look, and his mood became gloomy.
He silently reached out and knocked the burning tobacco out of the pipe.
'I'm sorry, Gilbert.
Other than bringing him out of danger, there is nothing I can do.
Just like how I watched His Highness pass away.
'I've disappointed you, old friend.
'Again.'
While Putray was lost in his memories, the new soldier, Willow, interrupted his thoughts.
"My lord!"
"What is it?" Putray raised his eyebrows.
"Please go to the back hall, the hall we entered from." Willow seemed a little confused, but he still carried out the order. "This is Prince Thales's —"
"Order!"
Putray's expression changed.
— — —
Kohen packed his things and checked his weapons for the last time.
"Are you not going to ask Raphael anymore?"
The police officer looked at Putray, who was talking to the Constellatiate soldiers in the distance. He sighed and turned to Miranda beside him.
"You know, about the Disaster Swords, the Secret Intelligence Department, his hands …"
At this point, he remembered that his good friend, a swordsman, had both his hands crippled. He did not know when his hands had turned into such monsters. Kohen could not help but grit his teeth.
'What did that guy go through?'
Miranda, who was leaning against the wooden crate, slowly opened her eyes.
Her gaze was calm, and her expression was natural.
However, his voice was slightly hoarse.
"There's no need. He has already made his decision," the swordswoman said softly. "There are some things that will only be futile to ask."
Cohen looked at Miranda's expressionless face and wanted to say something, but in the end, he just shrugged and lowered his head to adjust his sword belt.
A few seconds later, the police officer said in a low voice,
"Then how do we report to Tower?"
"I met three Disaster Swordsmen in Dragon Clouds City, and one of them … has an unknown identity?"
Miranda's eyes flickered.
"What about you?" she asked lightly.
Cohen was slightly taken aback.
"In my opinion …"
The police officer exhaled deeply, and his gaze became firm.
He seemed to have made up his mind.
"To hell with the Tower of Eradication. I've been out for so long." Kohen shook his head and snorted softly. "I've never seen any Disaster Sword. It's all Kaslan's scheme. End of report."
Miranda smiled faintly.
"If Master Jedi knew the truth, he would go crazy."
"So this is for his own good." Kohen raised his eyebrows. "His most outstanding student is worried about his mood, and is determined to make him worry less."
Miranda raised her eyebrows and closed her eyes again to rest.
After a while, Kohen spoke again. His voice was downcast.
"Miranda, it's only been three years," the police officer said dejectedly. "How can a person change so much?"
Miranda opened her eyes again. This time, there was a complicated look in her eyes.
"I'm not just talking about Raphael." Kohen sheathed his longsword with a worried expression. "There's also Kroesch.
"I still remember the days when I was punished to bite a sword and squat down with her. That tomboy's favorite thing to do was to scold me," he said in annoyance.
Miranda curled up the corner of her mouth.
'That's because she likes you, but doesn't dare to say it out loud.'
Miranda rolled her eyes, then her heart dimmed.
'It's not just you, Kohen.
'It's not just you.
'I used to study with her, sleep in the same room, practice swordsmanship with her under the rain and wind, and read books under the lamp at night.
'The girl who used to be cheerful and stubborn.
'Kroesch.'
"Maybe they haven't changed." Miranda furrowed her brows slightly. Her voice was ethereal and seemed to carry a profound meaning. "It's just that we unwittingly discovered another side of them."
Kohen snorted softly.
"What kind of 'other side'," he said helplessly, "would lead to betrayal and lies?"
Miranda crossed her arms and hugged her sword again.
"I don't know," she said absentmindedly. "But it shouldn't be something easy."
She remembered the brand on Raphael's hand.
'Kroesch, what did you go through?'
Kohen let out a long sigh. He leaned back and imitated Miranda, leaning against the wooden crate.
"So, is this the end?" Kohen asked, intentionally or otherwise.
Miranda's expression changed slightly. She snapped out of her daze. "What's the end?"
Kohen paused for a second. His brows twitched as if he was thinking.
"Dragon Clouds City," he said quietly, "We were tricked into coming here …
"We became someone else's pawn, the scapegoat for a conspiracy, the mastermind of the king's assassination.
"We became the cause of the war."
Miranda fell silent.
She knew Kohen's character. She knew what he was going to say.
'But …'
"So we're making up for it," Miranda's gaze became solemn as she said with certainty.
"Leave this place as soon as possible. Escape from the enemy's control. Refuse to be used by them." Lady Arunde spoke faster and stressed her words. "Pretend that we've never been to Eckstedt or Dragon Clouds City."
It was as if there was no room for doubt.
Kohen did not answer immediately. He was silent for a few seconds. His gaze focused on the dark sky.
"But, Miranda," Kohen finally said softly. He seemed to be hesitant and uneasy. "The truth is …
"We've been here."
Miranda said nothing.
Kohen slapped the wooden crate and nimbly sat up. He rested his hands on his knees. His expression was stern and unpleasant.
"Not only have we been here, but we've also participated in so many things and witnessed so much." He sighed slowly. "The Secret Intelligence Department, calamities, dragons, princes, assassinations, conspiracies.
"People came, people left, people died, people were injured, and in the end, they left behind a mess," Kohen said absent-mindedly.
"Waiting for others to clean up and bear the consequences."
"And you know what we left behind. You heard what Uncle Putray said." Kohen's gaze shifted to the vice diplomat in the distance. He watched as he spoke to the soldier with the dual pistols. "Even if we escape safely, the Northern Territory will still face …"
"He also said," Miranda frowned, "that there is nothing we can do."
Kohen's expression darkened. He looked like he was struggling.
"Is it powerless?" Kohen snorted softly and clenched his fists subconsciously. "Or is it that we can't do anything?"
Miranda did not answer.
"That's your Northern Territory, Miranda. It's the territory your family has protected for generations."
The police officer took a deep breath and gritted his teeth. "You've also witnessed the devastation of that land when it was ravaged by the flames of war, haven't you? Back then, you and Raphael were there —"
* Thud! *
Miranda's scabbard fiercely stabbed into a wooden crate that was used to store miscellaneous items.
"Enough."
The swordswoman's gaze became sharp and terrifying. Her tone was frosty. "That's enough."
But Kohen smiled.
"You know, the young Disaster Swordsman we met earlier was about your age." The police officer lowered his head and raised his unique silver saber. "He asked me for the name of this sword."
Miranda's gaze froze.
"'Bearer'." She looked at her classmate's saber and remembered the fights she had with it over the past few years. She said flatly, "The Karabeyan Family's treasured sword."
Kohen nodded. His arm muscles tightened as he steadily raised his weapon.
'Bearer.'
"It's too heavy," Kohen said absentmindedly. Cohen said absentmindedly. He thought of the gloomy old castle in his family, and the scene when his old man took it out from inside.
"The day before we went to the Tower of Eradication, my father gave it to me.
"I couldn't even lift it with both hands. I could only tie a rope around it and drag it along." Kohen nodded. His gaze slowly focused as he recalled the past. "But the old man said …
"There are some things we have to bear."
His gaze became clearer and firmer. "There are some things we can't 'stop here'."
At this moment …
A voice that both of them were extremely familiar with rang out.
"You know, asking for trouble for the sake of pointless persistence." Raphael's relaxed and bright voice rang out behind them. "Nothing good usually comes out of it."
Miranda turned her head abruptly. Kohen turned around in surprise.
"Everyone, go to the back hall," the young man from the Kingdom's Secret Intelligence Department said flatly. His red eyes flickered in the dim light.
"It's not time yet." Miranda frowned. "Why are we going to the back hall?"
Raphael let out a sigh as if he was helpless.
He also seemed to be hesitating.
But he only paused for a second before he raised his eyes and looked at the two of them.
"I told you." Raphael snorted coldly.
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