That night, the four city gates of Eternal Star City were not closed.
"Order from the king! Make way! Make way! " A dozen knights held the Nine-Pointed Star Flag and the Double-Crossed Star Flag at the same time and ran out of the city gate with solemn expressions.
"Are these all the messengers?" At the north city gate, the captain of the city defense team watched the messengers leave with a solemn expression.
"Not just that." The city defense officer who rushed over shook his head. "There are still three other city gates."
'The messengers held Renaissance Palace's order and rushed to where the important people were,' the city defense officer who knew the inside story thought.
'That's not all. Most of the messengers were messenger crows — nobles who were sent further away by their factions.'
The city defense officer, who was nearing his fifties, patted the captain's shoulder and said softly, "Something big has happened."
'Hopefully, it won't be another Bloody Year.'
—
Thales, who firmly refused Gilbert and Jines' company ("I'm sorry, Sir Gilbert, Madam Jines, but this is an alliance between me and her. I must face it alone. I promise to tell you the content of your conversation." — Thales, who shook his head firmly), silently walked beside Yodel.
For the first few minutes, neither of them said anything.
Only when they turned a corner and isolated the nearest guard behind the wall did Thales stand still and look at the Masked Protector.
Yodel's footsteps stopped as well.
"We have to talk in private." Thales exhaled deeply.
Yodel walked in front of him and quietly squatted down.
"As you wish," the masked secret protector said and gently placed his hand on Thales' shoulder.
In the next moment, they felt a strange ripple spread out. Everything around Thales and Yodel turned a strange white.
It was as if they were in another world.
"The Realm of Shadows," Yodel explained briefly.
Thales nodded, but his expression was still solemn. He was not attracted by the strange pure white background in front of him — he had more important things to do.
There was silence between them.
"Yodel." Thales organized his words with difficulty and tried hard to speak.
"You … How much do you know about me and the Air Mystic?"
As usual, Yodel said nothing. He only lowered his head slightly and looked at the black-haired, gray-eyed boy.
"When Morat wanted to have a private conversation with me in the study, you deliberately stopped him." Thales closed his eyes gently and slowly sorted out the sequence of events from beginning to end. He then said gloomily,
"You knew that the study room on the third floor had a special soundproofing system that would block the Blood Clansmen's hearing and voice transmissions. That was why you insisted that we stay on the second floor to talk so that we could seek Serena's help and convey an important reminder right under Morat's nose …"
Thales paused for a moment. He slowly opened his eyes and stared at the purple mask. In the end, he said firmly, "… to hide my true identity. “
"Is that so?"
Thales fixed his gaze on the secret protector of the royal family.
The mask faced him motionlessly.
After another period of indescribable silence, Yodel lowered his gaze slightly. His deep and hoarse voice came from behind the dark purple mask.
"I … am not like Gilbert …"
"… I'm not good with words."
Under Thales' complicated gaze, the Masked Protector said solemnly.
"After Red Street Market, I don't know what to say."
Thales stared at him with a burning gaze. "But you knew from the beginning."
"Yes.
"That night, I was there all along …" Yodel's voice was heavy. "I heard what the Mystic said."
"I have also noticed your … abnormality. You acted strangely when you faced the Mystic, the vase that cracked for no reason in the corridor, the explosion under Vine Manor …"
"So I know you are …"
Thales took a deep breath. "Then my father …
"Only I, young Sir, only I know …"
Yodel did not speak again.
Thales stared blankly at this strange man who had always protected him and always hid his face under a mysterious mask.
'Yes, I've always known.
But he kept my secret. '
"Why?" The prince heard his voice rise and fall slightly. It was filled with disbelief and surprise. "You know that I am … those calamities.
"You know that those calamities are taboo existences … Why …"
Yodel slowly grasped his shoulders and interrupted Thales' thoughts.
"Child," he said hoarsely.
"I have seen … many things, more than you can imagine.
"From the day this country and your family were born, they were destined to be … entangled with those calamities," he said softly.
"That was the case six hundred years ago.
"That was the case twelve years ago."
Thales' heart trembled.
'Twelve years ago?
'The Jadestar Family that was entangled with the calamities?'
"It is the same now.
"I have seen those calamities, more than once.
"I have a feeling.
"What is truly terrifying and daunting is not those calamities.
"It is ourselves.
"It is us, ordinary people, who will degenerate to what extent, how rotten we become, and what limits we will sacrifice for the existence of those so-called calamities."
Yodel paused for a moment, as if he was thinking about his next words.
"I know that you might be a 'calamity'." For the first time, the usually silent Masked Protector spoke so much in front of him.
He said hesitantly, "But I know that many people in this country have even … become uglier and scarier than those calamities.
"They have brought about calamities, but they do not know it."
Thales frowned unnaturally.
"Like Morat?"
"He is just one of them. The Black Prophet is no longer a prophet, only darkness remains."
Yodel raised his head. His dark lenses reflected the ghastly whiteness around him. Thales' image was isolated in it, looking thin and miserable.
"In comparison …
"Mister Thales, I am more willing to believe in you."
It seemed like Yodel had not spoken so much for a long time, but his clumsy manner of trying to find the right words and the honesty behind it made Thales feel complicated.
At that moment, the prince did not know what kind of expression and mentality he should have when facing this secret protector.
"But why me?" Thales took a deep breath for three seconds and spoke again, "Just because I have the blood of Jadestar flowing in my veins?"
Yodel shook his head slowly.
"I am not Gilbert, and I do not believe in the so-called bloodline.
"What I believe is that the seven-year-old boy who protected his companions with all his might in a desperate situation is an existence different from those ugly people.
"I am also willing to believe that you, a Jadestar of humble birth, will become … an extraordinary king in this rotten kingdom."
'An extraordinary king?'
Thales asked subconsciously, "Just like Crown Prince Midier, my uncle?"
Yodel was silent for a few seconds.
"No," the Masked Protector said. His voice was low and sad.
His hoarse voice was firm as he said, "You will be better than him."
I know that you have something in you that he does not. "
Thales shuddered slightly, and his breathing quickened.
He stared at Yodel, whose expression he could not decipher, and could not speak for a long time.
After a while …
"Thank you."
Thales, who had finally calmed down, could only say these two words.
He was usually eloquent, but at that moment, he really had nothing to say.
The Masked Protector, who was kneeling on one knee, nodded solemnly and forcefully.
Yodel spoke again in a hoarse voice.
This time, his words seemed even more sincere.
"Yodel Cato.
At your service. "
Thales took a deep breath.
He did not speak for a long time.
"There is one more thing." He heard himself ask with great difficulty.
"If you were there all along that night …
"When … did you start … being there?"
Yodel's hand sank slightly.
Thales panted slightly and said slowly, "You saw … Quide in the Abandoned House …"
"You saw … saw Quide in the Abandoned House …" Thales gritted his teeth and asked in a trembling voice, "Did you?"
The Masked Protector gently let go of his hand.
He did not speak.
He did not speak.
At that moment, Thales only felt that Yodel's mask and the pair of lenses on it were very cold.
His heart suddenly felt cold.
"You did not stop him.
Even when he entered our house … you did not stop him … "
Thales asked in a trembling voice,
"Why?"
"The prince … could have been among those child beggars, right?
And … those children … "
Thales actually had a guess.
But he was not sure.
He had to ask.
Yodel stood up slowly and cut him off.
"It's time to go."
Yodel said faintly.
"They will be suspicious."
At that moment, the Masked Protector was like an emotionless machine.
It reminded Thales of Asda's smile.
There was no warmth.
Although Serena's room was not as far as Jines said it was "one hundred meters away", it was not as close as he imagined either.
The Blood Clansmen's guest room was set up in the wide storage cellar of Mindis Hall. It was far away from the sunlight, the crowd, and Thales.
"Good evening, Mister Thales." The pale-faced Blood Clansman, the old butler who had lived for an unknown number of years, Chris Corleone, bowed slightly at the 'door' and flashed a dead smile at Yodel.
"Welcome back, Mister Mask. When you suddenly appeared just now, you gave us quite a fright."
Yodel did not reply.
Chris turned to Thales indifferently and nodded slightly. "His Highness is waiting for your arrival."
Thales, who was feeling perturbed and complicated, raised his head and looked at Yodel beside him.
The latter's mask nodded in a barely noticeable manner. He walked to the other side of the door and stood at the door with Chris like two guards.
The prince also nodded slightly. After taking a deep breath, he pushed the door open and walked towards Serena Corleone, who had been waiting inside for a long time.
His savior just now.
She was also the next problem after Morat.
"Ah, the long-awaited ally of mine."
The red-eyed loli had a profound expression. With her black dress as a foil, she lifted her dress and bowed to him.
"It seems that with my help," Serena, whose teeth were missing, emphasized the word 'help' and continued with an unsettling smile, "Seems like with my help, you have gotten rid of your troubles." “
"Then, it is time to talk about our salary and the issue of the fat report?"
Whether you believe it or not, I really have two shifts today. By Swordless with a serious expression.
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