The hall had turned into an Asura field covered in crimson, glaring bloodstains. The soldiers in red and white battle robes slowly walked past the corpses that were piled on top of each other. They walked past the streams of blood that had gathered into a trickle below. Their cold iron boots stepped neatly on the sticky carpet that was paved with blood as they surrounded the corner where Brendel was.
The half Fairy Princess was still trying to free her wrist from Brando's iron grip. She struggled but to no avail. She quickly calmed down and asked coldly, "Viscount Cauldell, what are you trying to do?"
Under Haruz's panicked gaze, Brando placed the obsidian-like blade of Halran Gaia against Gryphine's neck. He watched as the two approaching Knights stopped and then answered, "Of course I'm trying to break out of the encirclement."
"Break out of the encirclement?" Princess Gryphine glanced at the soldiers suspiciously. In her mind, these people were jackals of the same tribe as Viscount Cauldell.
Brando didn't explain much. He used his sword to silence the princess's Knight and the female officer beside her. Then he said, "If you don't want your Eldest Princess to be hurt, then do as I say. You come with me. We'll retreat towards the stairs and go to the second floor."
Princess Gryphine didn't know what Viscount Cauldell was trying to do so she huffed softly.
"Your Highness, if Bessidine still has a chance to live, that's what you want too, right? So I hope you can cooperate with me. I believe you're smart enough and calm enough to judge the pros and cons of the situation. Letting all of us die here has no benefit other than to your enemies – "
"Teacher …"
Haruz looked at him with some difficulty but the latter glared at him.
The Eldest Princess's expression showed that she didn't believe that Cauldell would suddenly change sides. She would rather believe that there was a conspiracy behind this. However, Brando was right about one thing. Ever since Princess Gryphine left the Kinten Palace for the first time at the age of sixteen, she had always had the qualities of an outstanding politician. She could calmly analyze the situation and accept as long as it was not the worst choice.
Her personal feelings had always been a luxury that she could not attain. Sometimes, her rationality was like a precise machine. She was stubborn and indifferent to herself, but at the same time, she held on to the hope in her heart. She had sacrificed everything she had, and that was how she became the Princess Royal, who was pitied and resonated with all Erouine players in history.
Therefore, she didn't reject Brando's suggestion, but she didn't agree either. That was enough. Brando knew that Princess Gryphine had not given up her vigilance against him, but he also knew that she would not deliberately go against him.
Next, he needed to kill his way out. He didn't want to have someone behind him who was always ready to trip him up.
He immediately brought Princess Gryphine towards the stairs. As expected, the Eldest Princess didn't resist. However, when she saw the two battered Knights protecting Bessidine, she sighed in relief. For the Eldest Princess, as long as Bessidine could leave this place, then everything else didn't matter.
In her plan, Arreck would become the greatest threat to the nobles because he had lost the royal family. This threat would evolve into a confrontation over time, and then the curtains of war would be drawn. However, the lord of the highlands was not as weak and easily bullied as the royal family of Covardo. The war between the nobles would definitely end in mutual destruction and compromise. The restless Madara would definitely not give up this precious opportunity. The army of the undead would sweep across the scorched earth.
After that, Cruz's people would definitely not want to face the army of the emperor with the mercury staff. Thus, supporting the resistance forces in Erouine was the inevitable choice.
As long as Bessidine was still alive, there was still hope for the kingdom to be reborn from the scorched earth.
Although her ancient homeland would inevitably fall into a sea of fire, she couldn't care so much. She could only see the burning flames in her eyes. Whether it was her, Grand Duke Arreck, or those greedy nobles, they would all drag the kingdom into the abyss.
She could only choose the better outcome.
Gryphine quietly felt the coldness of the blade on her neck. She calmly lowered her eyelids, but her heart was mournful. She looked back on her life, as if she was always making choices that weren't the worst.
Every time she compromised, it was as if she was laying the groundwork for the next failure.
For a moment, she suddenly wanted to go back to the past, back to that year. She was only sixteen years old. Perhaps she should have chosen a different path, and the kingdom's future wouldn't be like this.
Brando seemed to be able to vaguely feel the thoughts of the princess he was holding hostage, because this was a part of his memory. Perhaps he had the same desire in his heart. It was this desire that made him willfully change the path of decline that originally belonged to Erouine. .
It was also because of the same desire that he firmly believed that he could leave this dream, and he already had his own answer in his heart.
He controlled the princess with one hand, and with a sweep of the sword in his right hand, he swept away the swords in the hands of the swarming soldiers. Then he swung his sword without any fancy moves, and the ordinary blade drew a straight line in the air.
The blade flashed across, and those soldiers didn't have time to withdraw their weapons to block it. They could only watch as the obsidian-like blade cut through the battle robes, the metal rings on the chainmail below, and the flesh and bones below. With a crisp sound, eye-catching rose-colored blood splashed out along with the countless broken metal rings.
The color of the blood was like red wine, but darker.
With just one sword, seven or eight soldiers flew out. They fell into the crowd and knocked away more people. Brando stood at the top of the stairs, but he didn't rush up first. Instead, he dragged Haruz up and waited for the two Knight and the female officer to rush over before he turned to cover everyone and continued forward.
Princess Gryphine seemed to come back to her senses. She looked at the scene in surprise. "What on earth do you want, Viscount Cauldell?"
This was the second time she had asked this question in a short period of time, but her tone was completely different. Even if she still had her doubts, at least she believed that Viscount Cauldell and Anrek weren't working together.
"I told you." Brando stood at the top of the stairs and cut down a soldier with his sword. The blade cut into the man's helmet like cutting through tofu. Blood gushed out like a waterfall from the metal cracks.
He pulled out his sword and kicked the body down. Then he walked up a few steps and answered, "I just fought my way out of the encirclement."
"But you and Anrek …" The Eldest Princess frowned. Brando actually understood the suspicion in her eyes. What she meant was, I don't think you would betray Anrek for Bessidine …
Some people would risk their lives for love, but Viscount Cauldell wasn't one of them.
Because he was Viscount Cauldell now. Brando had to accept this, even though the difference in status and experience made it hard for him to say. He knew that his choice could cause him to fall into the dream forever, but he still did it. At this moment, he really wanted to laugh bitterly.
Your brother is indeed very charming when he dresses up as a young girl, but he's still a man.
But Brando had a vague idea of another possibility. This possibility made him lead the Princess and the others to the second floor without hesitation. He was familiar with Kinten Palace. The second floor of the hall led to the manor in the back. There was a secret passage that led to the forest outside.
That forest, if he guessed correctly, should be the forest where Viscount Cauldell had been assassinated. It was also the forest where they had found the horse carriage.
Even though the location didn't match at all, the dream was just that strange.
So the result of the entire dream should appear there. As for life or death, Brando didn't care that much anymore. Sometimes, when faced with the confusion in your heart, you had to take a gamble. And his confusion, Viscount Cauldell's confusion, and Haruz's confusion had long been tangled together. Brando still didn't have a clear answer in his heart.
No matter what, he would see the result if he went down.
Two Knight kicked open the tightly shut wooden door on the second floor with a bang. The quality of the door made of black wood was surprisingly good. Even after being kicked open by two Gold Ranks, it still maintained its original appearance. Brando sent the young prince in, then the two Knight and the older female official protecting him. Brando hesitated and finally decided not to hold Princess Gryphine hostage. He let go of the Eldest Princess of Erouine and let her walk in on her own.
Princess Gryphine started slightly and looked up at him in disbelief.
"Viscount Cauldell?"
"If you have something to say, say it later." Brando turned around. He raised his right hand and used the Wind Empress Ring on his index finger to aim at the stairs in the hall where the soldiers were swarming up. Then he opened his mouth and said, "Oss!"
A burst of wind shot out from the ring and hit the curved staircase. The wooden planks that made up the staircase first caved in, and then the entire staircase broke down from the middle. A huge hole was blasted open, and the wooden planks slowly turned into wood shavings that fluttered down.
But at the same time, it seemed like there was a rain of blood in the hall.
Brando and the Princess, who were still standing at the door, had a lot of blood on their faces. The Princess looked at Brando, whose face was covered in blood, and asked, "Viscount Cauldell, are you really willing to give up everything for Bessidine?"
No, anything else was possible, but Brando's vow had nothing to do with that. He turned around and saw Haruze, whose face was red to the tips of his ears because of his sister's words. He sighed and answered, "Your Highness, I don't think now is the time to express my determination … If possible, of course I will help you take care of Her Highness, but our first priority is to leave this place."
But Princess Gryphine looked at him and shook her head. "You don't understand. I'm already a dead knot. If I don't die, the conflict between the nobles and Arreck will never rise to the surface. This kingdom will only decline day by day until it falls into the abyss of fire – "
"I tied this knot and I will untie it. I'm only worried about whether Bessidine can distinguish the people around her. I hope you can give me a clear answer, Viscount Cauldell. "
Brando stopped.
There was a rumor in history that Princess Gryphine had secretly contacted the Wind Elves to counter Arreck. She had the elven diplomatic corps bring a secret letter, but the news was leaked in the end and aroused the murderous intent of the powerful Grand Duke. Not long after that, at this banquet tonight, he ordered an assassin to kill Her Highness the Princess and frame Madara.
But after the event, no one could find any relevant evidence – except for that blank letter.
Her Highness the Princess had the diplomatic corps bring a blank letter. Some people suspected that it was Cruz's people who framed her, and in fact, later on, some people did find out that Cruz's people were behind the assassination. Even the Holy Cathedral of Fire couldn't escape being involved.
But Brando suddenly guessed another truth.
"That blank letter that the Wind Elven diplomatic corps brought back to the Elven Court was just a plan for you to force Arreck to act, right, Your Highness?"
Princess Gryphine looked at him with some surprise. "How did you know? Arreck already knew? No, no, if he knew, he wouldn't have chosen to do it – "
Brando didn't say a word.
Arreck had been set up.
In the end, the Princess Regent used her own life to set a trap for the old fox. Everything that happened after that was just as she thought. Erouine's civil war, the Third War of the Black Roses, Haruz and Elara's marriage, and the establishment of the Erouine Resistance.
But he didn't feel relaxed at all. Instead, he felt angry. Her Highness the Princess not only set up Arreck, but also deceived all the players who supported her. He would never forget the night when the city of Mengsteros fell into a sea of fire.
He also couldn't forget the lonely look on his senior sister's face when she left.
He stared at the Princess, unable to confirm whether what she said was true or false, because this was actually his own memory.
But Brando calmly suppressed the unhappiness in his heart, because the negative emotions in the dream were confusion, and the pale spirits lurking in the dark manipulated people's hearts in order to make people lose control of their emotions.
No one knew this more deeply than Brando.
He asked this to test Viscount Cauldell's feelings, just as he knew that Cauldell must have experienced the same things in the same dream as he did. In other words, the Lord Viscount must have had the same confusion in his heart as he did.
The information on the strategy was useless now.
Brando tossed it aside. Not having a strategy didn't mean he couldn't move forward. First, he was also an excellent player, and second, he had stronger feelings. If he couldn't defend, then he would have to attack.
First, he had to answer a question of his own: How did Viscount Cauldell answer his confusion back then?
And how would he answer?
Brando was silent for a moment, then answered Princess Gryphine, "Sometimes the right choice isn't necessarily the right one, Your Highness."
"Then what is the right choice?" The Eldest Princess raised her head and looked at him in confusion. She seemed to hear the hidden meaning in the Lord Viscount's words.
This question also echoed in Brando's heart. It was the question Viscount Cauldell's ghost asked over and over again: What is the right choice?
Brando raised his head and glanced down. The soldiers in red and white battle robes were climbing up from the dust-filled hall. He retreated into the room and pulled the Princess some distance away.
Then he exhaled softly, as if to confirm the thought in his heart.
"People can't always be willful, but willfulness can actually be forgiven …"
As he answered, he felt his heart move slightly.
That was the emotion that belonged to Viscount Cauldell.
This pale ghost who had always hidden himself in the dark, this Knight who had lost his name in the fog of history, finally couldn't hold himself back anymore.
And as soon as he moved, Brando finally confirmed the answer to his question.
He found it …
The answer to the riddle.
…
A person's dream was actually a subconscious self-suggestion. In this short period of time, Brando remembered more than once the parents he had seen at the banquet, as well as himself as a child. These memories that revealed his past haunted him like a nightmare. But until a certain moment, he suddenly realized that it wasn't the mysterious existence in the fog that was tempting him to lose his mind.
On the contrary, what was hidden the deepest in people's hearts was the opportunity to save themselves.
It was the same for Viscount Cauldell.
He recalled again and again the illusion of Brando's grandfather in the Golden Demonic Tree. He remembered again and again the disappointment in his parents' eyes when they looked at him. Although he was drenched in cold sweat, he finally realized something.
This disappointment didn't come from his failure.
Willfulness could actually be forgiven.
But avoidance and self-fear couldn't. He even lost the courage to challenge his failure again. He was like a weak person who gripped his sword tightly with both hands but didn't dare to take a step forward and pierce through the illusion in front of him.
He was the person who couldn't hold his sword.
That person had also been Viscount Cauldell.
And Haruze.
He could stab Princess Gryphine to death with one blow. That might have been Viscount Cauldell's wish. But Brando finally realized that it definitely wasn't his own.
If he chose this, if he chose to compromise in the middle. Just like how once a person lost their courage, they lost the determination to break through the illusion. A person who lost the determination to break through the illusion could only stay in the dream forever.
In this moment, Brando was truly certain of this, just like how he felt the throbbing of Viscount Cauldell's feelings in his heart.
He could completely understand that feeling. It was fear and dread, confusion and jealousy. Because he had made the exact opposite choice.
Cauldell chose to compromise. Thus, he remained in his own incomplete dream.
But Brando's choice was to willfully change all of this. He willfully chased after his own heart and willfully fulfilled his ideals and beliefs.
If he gave up, he would fail …
Brando seemed to see a pitiful figure flash by in front of him. He gripped his sword. The conviction in his heart had never been stronger. In front of him, the corridor suddenly collapsed layer by layer. The scenery seemed to melt and turn into thick fog. After the fog parted, the Kinten Palace seemed to collapse like gravel, disappearing with the wind along with the corpses of the soldiers and nobles. In the gravel, Brendel even saw his parents, himself when he was a child, his senior, and all the members of the Scarlet Brigade. Their faces merged into the fog, fading backward and gradually disappearing.
But that last glimpse was forever imprinted in his memory.
Only Princess Gryphine, Haruze, the two Knight and the older female official were left beside him. The princess seemed to be unaware of the changes around her. She grabbed Haruze's hand and walked forward resolutely.
The little prince now completely understood what his sister was thinking. Although he still didn't understand the meaning behind the sacrifice, the history of what had happened in the dream was like a heavy nightmare to him. Haruze bit his lip. His eyes were moist but he didn't cry.
Many years ago, he still remembered the stars in the summer night of Kinten Palace. At that time, his father was still alive. He remembered his sister telling him that a man shouldn't cry.
But he only remembered crying because he was taught a lesson in swordsmanship training until his knees turned red.
The fog parted.
Behind it was a forest.
The sky was full of stars. The pine trees rustled, the water gurgled, and the fire in the distance swayed gently like a dream.
Brando remembered his childhood. The air was so fresh after the summer night.
He took a deep breath and raised his head. Then, he saw the carriage that was quietly parked in the forest.
The door was open, and a corner of a silver dress could be seen.
A beautiful girl lay in the carriage with a black dagger in her chest. She was beautiful. Her pointed ears showed her identity. But she was different from Haruze. She was a real elf.
Brando didn't speak.
But he already knew the other party's identity.
Bessidine Ramona Yueba.
… …
(PS: Today's second update, 10,000 words. I've always wanted to talk about the bottleneck I've encountered recently. Actually, it's not appropriate to call it a bottleneck. It's better to call it a misunderstanding. I've encountered this problem for more than a day or two. Starting from the second half of Canaan, I've been troubled by similar problems. Because the more I write, the more I worry about my gains and losses. I'm always afraid that I'll deviate from my original intention and the burden will become heavier. So every once in a while, I have to stop and reconsider my original intention. Even Canaan was broken because of this.
After writing so many words, I still haven't found the root of the problem. Instead, I've become more and more restrained. Today, after talking to everyone, I finally understand what I'm pursuing … Sigh, after so many complaints, I just want to find my carefree self when I was writing Canaan. I've been very tired recently. I hope everyone can understand.) (To be continued.) If you like this work, you're welcome to come to qidian.com to vote. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
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