Even the bravest monarch of the Hazel people couldn't cross the walls of Sidos Fortress, let alone the Hazel people now.
The threat from the north was approaching day by day, and Sidos Fortress had become an unavoidable problem for the Hazel people. No matter how many people died under this fortress, it would not solve their current problem.
They could not afford to wait for this negotiation either.
The hall fell into silence.
The frontline commander of the Hazel people was about to speak, but an old man behind him patted him on the shoulder and stood up.
Prophet Salma.
He had once served as the guardian of the Crystal Temple, and was one of the three candidates for the position of Great Prophet. His status was equivalent to the scepter bishop of the Holy Cathedral of Fire, so in this negotiation, he was the one who made the final decision among the Hazel people.
"Sir, you are right," Salma said in an old voice, but he sounded more like he was talking to the commander beside him. "In a choice that both sides have to make, it is impossible for us to not pay anything. Justice is also the greatest wisdom."
"Lord Salma?"
Salma turned his head, looked directly into Demond's eyes, and slowly replied: "This city is the precious treasure of the civilized world. If the Cruz people have the determination to protect it, then the Hazel people will not lack this wisdom and courage."
"But —"
He slowly changed his tone and said: "We must understand, what is it that we are protecting?"
Father Demond did not say a word, because he understood that there was no need for him to answer here.
Sure enough, Prophet Salma continued, "It's not just this city, this city represents our civilization and history, it represents the memories and inheritance of the Kirrlutz people, and it will also be a part of our entire civilized world. We will dedicate and sacrifice for these precious things, to protect them at all costs, but not just here —"
A light flashed in the depths of Father Demond's eyes, and then he said: "What does Lord Prophet say?"
"I see that your close friend Duke Diomedes has left the city hall. You have decades of tacit understanding with him, so you will stay and live and die with this city, right?"
Father Demond nodded. He didn't try to hide this fact. Even if Dorbian had to move, someone had to stay behind to cover the retreat for the refugees. This person could only be either Father Demond or Diomedes. Fate had chosen Father Demond.
Although the nobles in the hall had already expected this, when Demond confirmed it, they could not help but discuss again.
The hall was a little noisy.
But Prophet Salma's voice seemed to be able to drown out everyone's voices. The old man quietly replied: "There is a contract that has been covered in dust for thousands of years. If courage and sacrifice is needed today to reawaken its weight in our hearts, then I am willing to sign my name on it."
He looked up at Father Desmond and said, "Our descendants will remember today, remember that there was a moment when someone shed blood and sacrificed himself to protect the most precious things in the world. I think that with such a spirit being passed down, Father should be satisfied, right?"
Father Demond stood Father Demond slowly nodded his head.
As he moved by his action by his action Demond's
, Demond, Demond's Demond's's, Demond's's's's's by Demond
Salma nodded his head.
"I heard that it's a candidate for the position of the Great Prophet. Lord Salma is also the most favored successor of the Great Prophet. You are equivalent to the Scepter Bishop among us, and the one most likely to inherit the Great Sanctum, right?"
There was a gasp in the hall, and the nobles all looked at Prophet Salma in surprise. Obviously, they did not expect him to have such a high status.
Just because of this identity, many people were relieved. Since the Hazel people had sent someone with such an important status to negotiate, it was enough to show their sincerity.
But Prophet Salma only replied, "Father Demond, weren't you also a scepter bishop?"
"That was in the past," Father Demond replied: "Besides, I have no hope of inheriting the position of the Great Holy See. Your status is far from comparable to mine."
He listened for a moment, then continued: "Are you really willing to stay and live and die with this city?"
As soon as these words came out, there was a dead silence in the city hall.
Most of the nobles then reacted to what the prophet of the Hazel people had said earlier. Most of them could not help but look at Salma in disbelief. Although Father Demond had made an exception first, as the latter said, the difference in status between the two could not be measured by the Dao.
"Life is precious, but it is not unworthy of sacrifice," Father Salma said with a smile. "Almost every generation of Hazel kings died on the battlefield, and the eldest son of the king was often the same. Although they clearly had supreme power and the possibility of taking over the crown, they all chose courage in the face of death without exception.
"Because courage is the greatest wisdom. The crystal tells us that only with wisdom can we be brave. Otherwise, it is pointless recklessness. I choose this answer here because I understand that our choice is meaningful. "
He looked at Father Demond and replied, "In fact, even if the Cruz people did not make such a choice, I would have let the Hazel people do so. But I am happy to see that among the Cruz people, there is also such a far-sighted wise man. This shows that the hatred between the Cruz people and the Hazel people is not unresolvable. We have a lot in common. Perhaps in the disaster of the battlefield, we will learn to be tolerant and forgiving."
"Father Demond, at this moment, I am not acting as a prophet of the Hazel people, but as a friend of the Cruz people, as a friend of everyone here, breathing with this city and facing its ultimate fate."
Prophet Salma said loudly, "I would like to ask everyone, do you still remember the covenant between the Hazel people and the Cruz people a thousand years ago?"
The nobles looked at each other for a moment, feeling ashamed in their hearts. They, the children of Dobian, the masters of this city, in front of a stranger who had come from afar, dared not choose to live and die with this city.
Many people's hearts were even shaken at that moment, although this only happened for a moment. Soon, the fear of death took over. Perhaps many people, after being shaken at this moment, would still choose to leave in the end, choose to live and save their own lives.
But, for the rest of their lives, they would remember this moment.
Remember the two people standing opposite each other in this hall at this moment.
Remember the story that happened in the last moment of this city's survival, remember that there were people who sacrificed everything for the glory and civilization of the Cruz people.
And this was the legacy of civilization.
Father Demond took a deep breath. He had already gotten everything he wanted. He raised his head and looked through the deep dome of the city hall, looking out through the skylight there.
The gloomy sky was somewhat dazzling at this moment.
The memories of the past seemed to have returned to his heart. He had experienced everything that Diomedes had told him before. It was because this city carried the past and memories of him, as well as the past of many people. It carried even more glory and history.
Dobian might become a thing of the past, but this city would not. It would live in everyone's heart forever.
And at the same time, it would live forever.
It was because of Salma's words that the covenant that had been silent for a thousand years had been rejuvenated. Perhaps it was still only known as the alliance between Cloak Bay and the Hazel people, but it once had a name, and it was called the Sacred Oath.
Perhaps this name would soon be remembered again, and Father Demond believed that the arrival of that day might not be too far away.
He slowly sat down and leaned against his seat. He did not remember what he had told the clerk, but this short negotiation that lasted only one night finally came to an end. Both sides were leaving, and the scene was chaotic. From time to time, nobles came up to him to say goodbye. He could not remember the faces of those people at all.
The clerk kept the record of the meeting, and then each side took a copy of it and left Dobian. Soon, the Hazel people would join the refugees from all over Cloak Bay and cross the Broken Sword Mountain Range to the south to find a real way out.
Deudermont closed his eyes and felt his tense nerves finally relax.
The Hazel people might be facing a choice between life and death, but wasn't Cloak Bay the same? He had hardly been able to sleep peacefully these days. He did not know about the fiasco that the Hazel people had suffered in the north. He only knew that they had lost all contact with the empire since the fall of the Black Moon.
Without the support of the empire, they could not possibly resist the invasion of the Hazel people.
Not to mention, the north of Cloak Bay had been cloudy for months. Throughout the day, in most areas north of Dobian, pillars of smoke could be clearly seen rising into the sky, and at night, flames could be seen soaring into the sky. No one knew what was going on in the Bankle region and the imperial capital.
When he meditated, he could always feel the sea of magic boiling. The power of Dusk seemed to be growing stronger by the day. Some news from the north also reminded him of some secrets of the Holy Cathedral.
The crystal army was obviously the fangs and claws of Dusk.
However, the scouts sent to the north could not return once they crossed the Little Leaf Hill. The same was true for small fleets. After losing a few corvettes, Duke Diomedes gave up on the plan.
The Sublime Sea had just entered a stormy period. In times of peace, no one would dare to enter the sea at this time, let alone when the tide of magic was surging.
According to those who returned from the south, the Rokezi Highlands had become a new inland sea. Every road to Anzeruta had been cut off, unless one crossed the Broken Sword Mountain Range. However, the south of Broken Sword Mountain Range was the territory of the Lion Beastmen. Ever since Anzeruta Fortress was conquered by the Lion Beastmen, no one knew what was going on in the Ivory Plains.
The way out was completely cut off, and Cloak Bay had become an isolated place in the sea.
These days, the shadow of the north was gradually moving south. The imminent threat forced him to sit down and negotiate with the Hazel people.
In this negotiation, he not only needed to ensure the safety of Dobian and Cloak Bay, but also the survival of the entire empire and the Holy Cathedral of Fire.
Fortunately, for the first time, he was glad that his enemy, or rather, his opponent, was sufficiently wise and clear-headed.
He had done his best. Now, the future of Cloak Bay was in the hands of the Goddess of Fate.
… …
(PS: The Warship R event was written a little late. E5 has passed. Don't worry.)
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