But there was still a pair of cloudy eyes, burning with the strongest desire to survive in the darkness. The old man reached out his trembling hand through the wooden fence and grabbed his daughter's hand.
"… Is this true?"
Dilferi felt the big hand that was like dry bark rubbing her hand, and tears finally came out of her eyes. The torment she had suffered night after night seemed to be repaid at this moment.
Yes, she was back.
Back to Yanbao.
On the land that gave birth to her.
When the situation between the North and South began to ease, she begged the princess to give her an army so that she could take back everything that originally belonged to her. Although Amandina hoped that she could wait until Brando came back, how could her father wait until that moment?
Fortunately, Amandina agreed to her request, and when she returned to the North, the eldest son of the king also helped her as much as he could. Whether it was all this, or the fleet behind her, Dilferi understood that it was all because of the kindness of the count.
Perhaps that fated meeting in Ampere Seale was the turning point for all of this.
Lady Martha had never given up on her, even if she had fallen into the arms of darkness.
"Open the door of the cell!" She reluctantly let go of her father's hand, and ordered with the dignity that the daughter of the Count of Yanbao should have.
The attendants did as they were told, but Count Yanbao's body seemed to be too weak, or perhaps meeting his daughter again had exhausted all his mental and physical strength. At this moment, he had fallen into a deep sleep.
Dilferi did not dare to disturb him. She motioned for the attendants to be gentle and carefully sent the count to his room. He really did need a good rest, at least he did not need to be frightened anymore.
In her memory, her father was a determined person, someone who could shelter her from the wind and rain. Perhaps it was this perseverance that allowed him to insist on not revealing the family's secret under the torment of the situation.
And in the end, this also saved his life.
The Countess sighed slightly. She looked at the old man who was sleeping soundly on the bed, then closed the door and turned to walk out. At the end of the corridor, on the castle's balcony, two young officers were talking on the balcony. When they saw her walk out, they turned and saluted.
"Mr. Manrique, you are Mr. Brando's subordinate, you don't have to be so polite to me."
"And you too, Mr. Bretton."
Dilferi knew the two young men in front of her. The former was one of the best captains that the Bugas had trained for Valhalla, and he was one of Amandina's most trusted aides. Amandina had allowed him to go with her to Yanbao, which showed how much respect and respect the leader of Abies had for her.
The latter was Brando's childhood companion. Although it was said that the two of them once had a grudge against each other, they had since buried the hatchet. Moreover, the two of them, one in the north and the other in the south, now had their own futures. Everything in the past had long gone with the wind. The other party was specially selected by the king's eldest son, Levin, to prove that her right to inherit Yanbao was recognized by the Seifer royal family. But in fact, this young genius of Erouine, who already had the title of "Sword of the White Lion," also led an army. Obviously, the king's eldest son also understood that the current situation in Yanbao was tantamount to a rebellion.
But the expected battles along the way did not happen. The rebels in Yanbao seemed to have received news in advance. Other than encountering slight resistance when they reclaimed the family's castle, everything else was considered smooth sailing. Dilferi was originally worried that her sinister uncle would take her father away, but Count Yanbao seemed to have been forgotten in a corner of the dark prison. After they reclaimed the castle, they rescued him from the damp and dark underground.
Everything went unbelievably smoothly, and even made people feel a little uneasy. Even Dilferi herself did not understand where her uncle, her father's brother, the usurper, had gone.
What about the residents of Yanbao, the army, it seemed that they had all disappeared overnight.
When Bretton heard Dilferi mention that person's name, he could not help but shake his head. He could not help but feel the vicissitudes of the past rising in his heart. Who would have thought that this day would come? Captain Marden would never have dreamed that his three prized disciples would become the three superpowers of the kingdom.
And the most useless of them all had the highest achievements today. Perhaps it was because of his background, or perhaps it was because of his identity as the descendant of Darius, but he had turned the tide in the battle of Ampere Seale. No one could deny that it was a miracle.
"Brando, Freya, how are the two of you now?"
Thinking of that guy who had always been at odds with him, at this moment, had become a heavy memory that pressed down on his heart. Ever since the battle of Ampere Seale, he understood that he had lost the final opportunity to fight with that despicable guy.
So he withdrew from that battle and came to the north alone. Here, he had a new beginning, a new love. Now, he had his own career and a direction to fight for. And all those feelings and memories of the past had now become the most beautiful fantasies of his youth.
While Bretton was distracted for a moment, Manrique had already bowed to Dilferi. "You came at the right time, Miss Dilferi. We were just discussing something related to you."
"Oh, what's the matter?"
"Look over here," Manrique came to the edge of the balcony and pointed at a forest not far away. "These things are a little strange. Have they always been here?"
"No," Dilferi shook her head. "I've never seen these things before. At least, they didn't exist before I left Yanbao."
It was a forest located in the north of Yanbao. In Dilferi's memory, it was a forest that was evergreen all year round. There was also a garden in the forest that carried her childhood memories. The forest that was lush in the summer would be dyed with a layer of ink in the winter, and then it would start to snow. When the ground and forest were covered in snow, it would be the annual hunting day in Yanbao.
She still remembered the hustle and bustle of the place. Regardless of whether it was adults or children, their faces would be filled with happiness during the New Year, as if they were looking forward to the coming year.
But now, the forest had become twisted and terrifying. Purple crystals grew in the forest, and the surface of the tree bark reflected an unnatural luster. Under the moonlight, the luster was eerie. The cold light was like the gaze of a ghost, and it made people shudder. In the depths of the forest, there stood an ancient ruin. The huge dark building weighed down on everyone's hearts, making it hard to breathe.
"I've seen similar things in some areas in the north of Balta," Bretton suddenly said. "These ruins appeared in many places overnight, but the scholars haven't figured out their origins. They only suspect that it might be related to the fall of the Black Moon not long ago."
"You suspect that this place appeared overnight?" Manrique asked. "The changes in the forest might be related to these ruins?"
"Miss Dilferi's answer also confirms our guess."
"No, I think the changes in the forest might be related to something else."
"What's wrong?" Both of them turned to look at the Count's daughter at the same time.
"Long before I left Yanbao, I've heard some rumors. For example, there were monsters in the forest, and huge crystals," Dilferi recalled. The shadow of the past seemed to have shrouded her heart again. She frowned. "Since then, the people in the territory have been in a state of panic —"
"Miss Dilferi, do you have any misgivings?" Bretton said. "Why don't you just say it?"
The Count's daughter hesitated. For a moment, she seemed to be a little weak, but soon became determined. "Mr. Manrique, Mr. Bretton, because this is related to a secret of my family, my father might have encountered all of this. I've always suspected this, but until today, I've decided to say it."
"Miss Dilferi, if this is your family's secret …"
"No, the two of you, I trust Mr. Brando. You are his subordinates and friends, I think I can entrust this to you."
"Entrust us? Miss Dilferi, forgive us for not quite understanding. "
"Please follow me."
In the basement.
The moment Dilferi opened the black wooden box, she felt the two people behind her subconsciously hold their breaths.
"This …"
"This is?"
"This is the Lionheart Sword?"
"But how is that possible, isn't it in …"
Bretton and Manrique's faces were filled with astonishment.
The Count's daughter used a gentle gaze to look at the shining sword lying flat in the wooden box. Then, she reluctantly closed the box again.
She turned around and looked at the two people behind her. "This is not the Lionheart Sword, the Lionheart Sword is just a replica."
"What!?"
"This is related to the most important secret of the Yanbao family. You should know the origin of my family. It is the product of a compromise between the people of Cruz and the elves of Saint-ausol. Our ancestors migrated here from the Cruz Empire and established the Yanbao Count's territory."
Dilferi paused for a moment before continuing, "You should know that when the late King Erik brought the Lionheart Sword out of the empire, that sword is actually the product of the Sacred Sword Oderfeiss being divided into three parts. This is because the Flame King Gretel left a decree to one of his most trusted Knights. If one day the people of Cruz forget the glory of their ancestors, then the soul of the Sacred Sword of Oderfeiss will leave his descendants and search for a true pure land."
"In the legends passed down from generation to generation in my family, this decree is true, but it is related to the agreement between the Flame King Gretel and another important person. That person could be the Sage Ellanta, or the Wind Empress that Gretel has always been deeply in love with, Saint-ausol. Because of this agreement, my family brought another Sacred Sword to this land and took root here. After hundreds of years, we call ourselves the Sword Guardians of Yanbao, and the world thinks that we are the Sword Throne of the Lionheart Sword. "
…
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