The next morning, when Colin walked into the dining room with Vera, they saw that the Duke Of St. Hilde was already having breakfast.
Scholar Dawn was sitting next to him.
"Duke!"
"Father!"
"Well, have a seat."
The both of them sat down, and the half-elf maid Cathy immediately served the breakfast that had already been prepared.
There was grilled steak, fried eggs, chickpeas, strawberries with cream, milk, and wine.
No one talked during the entire meal, and there was only the sound of knives and forks colliding with the plates.
After breakfast, the Duke Of St. Hilde said, "Colin, you can go and prepare for the wedding. Scholar Dawn is also here, so he can help. Vera, walk with me. "
"Yes." Colin gave Vera a reassuring look before he got up and left the dining room with Scholar Dawn.
Vera lowered her head and looked at the silver candlesticks on the dining table, but she did not speak.
There was a trace of awkwardness between the father and daughter.
After a long time, the Duke Of St. Hilde spoke first.
"I heard that Charles unfortunately died in the battle of the Troll Empire?"
"Yes." Vera nodded, but she could not help but feel sad.
The Duke Of St. Hilde was silent for a moment, and then he said with a blank expression, "Where is he buried now?"
"He is buried in the military cemetery of the Angele family."
"Take me to see it."
"Okay."
Vera immediately got up and led the Duke Of St. Hilde outside.
The cemetery was not far behind the Red Fortress, and the people in this world did not have much taboo about cemeteries. They even felt that it was the closest place to heaven, and they could feel the aura of the God of Light there.
Therefore, the cemetery was not remote, and there was no gloomy and scary feeling.
Charles was buried in the most conspicuous position in the first row of the cemetery, and his full name was engraved on the epitaph, and there was a sentence written by Colin himself.
"The one who rests here is a Saint Hilde. He was born for the Northern Frontier, and he died for the Northern Frontier."
The Duke Of St. Hilde looked down at Charles' tombstone, and he was silent for a long time.
A few petals were blown by the breeze, and they were like dancing butterflies as they flew past Charles' tombstone.
The father and daughter who were silently mourning did not know that the one buried in the tomb was an empty coffin.
After a long time, the Duke Of St. Hilde raised his head and looked at Vera.
Of course, he had already sensed that Vera was alienating him, and he could roughly guess where this estrangement came from.
"You hate me," St. Hilde said, making it sound like a statement.
Vera was still immersed in mourning her brother's death. She sniffled but didn't say anything.
"Do you resent me for marrying you to Silvermoon City?"
Vera shook her head. After a moment of silence, she finally asked, "The Savoy family tried to assassinate me in Silvermoon City. Were you the one who ordered them to do so?"
"No," the Duke Of St. Hilde said firmly. "It was a conspiracy by the St. Theon family."
However, the Duke Of St. Hilde continued, "However, the Savoy family had contacted me secretly, so I knew about this conspiracy."
Vera's eyes widened. She did not know if she was shocked by the Duke Of St. Hilde's sincerity, or if she was sighing because the doubts in her heart had finally been answered.
"Then why didn't you stop them?" For a moment, she did not dare to face the truth. Perhaps she would rather hear a lie from the Duke.
"No." The proud Duke seemed disdainful of lying to his daughter. "Because I also need you to die in Silvermoon City!"
Two lines of tears fell from Vera's eyes. The girl's face instantly turned pale. Her lips trembled, but she could not say anything.
The Duke Of St. Hilde continued expressionlessly, "Don't resent me. This is the destiny of St. Hilde."
He pointed at Charles' epitaph and said in a deep voice, "We were born for the Northern Frontier, and we will die for the Northern Frontier. This is our responsibility and obligation. You can't escape from it."
Vera cried and shook her head. "No, it shouldn't be like this."
"Why not?" St. Hilde's face was solemn. "You enjoy the worship of the people of the Northern Frontier. You live a luxurious life. You receive the glory that the ancestors of St. Hilde have sacrificed their lives for. You are always the focus of the crowd. Do you really think that these things come without a price?"
"I am willing to bear the responsibility of being a member of St. Hilde. However, this does not mean that you can use me as a tool to protect your rule over the Northern Frontier!"
"Rule over the Northern Frontier?" The Duke Of St. Hilde suddenly laughed. "Vera, the mission of the House of Saint Hilde is to protect the Northern Frontier, not to rule over the Northern Frontier!"
Before Vera could answer, the Duke Of St. Hilde lifted his shirt.
A hideous wound extended from his left shoulder all the way to his right hip. Through this wound, one could clearly see the squirming organs and golden blood inside his body.
There were all kinds of cross-shaped charms drawn around the wound. However, such a holy power could only barely prevent the wound from getting worse.
"Do you see this? This is the price that I have to pay. " The Duke Of St. Hilde's face was solemn. "Five years ago, when the Troll King Dimodorf challenged me to a duel, did I back down? Last year, when the Paladin Prince Otto came to Coldwinter City, did I hide?
I can sacrifice my life to protect the Northern Frontier at any time!
You, Charles, García … and all of the St. Hildes are the same! "
Perhaps she was frightened by the horrible scene in front of her, but Vera's mouth was wide open and she was speechless for a long time.
After the Duke Of St. Hilde put on his shirt again, she slowly shook her head and said firmly, "I do not deny your contribution to the Northern Frontier. However, I will never forgive you for what you have done in the past."
"I don't need your forgiveness." The Duke Of St. Hilde said coldly, "Perhaps the Lord of the Northern Frontier represents the supreme authority and glory in your eyes, but you will never understand what it means to be the Lord of the Northern Frontier unless you are in the position yourself.
Of course, I hope that all of you can live a peaceful and happy life. Unfortunately, since you were born in the House of Saint Hilde, you must be prepared to sacrifice everything, including your life, for the sake of the Northern Frontier. "
Vera gently wiped away the tears on her face, and she seemed to have finally calmed down.
However, the coldness in her eyes became even more intense. "When you sacrifice your life for the Northern Frontier, that is a sacrifice. However, when you use your authority or conspiracy to force others to sacrifice their lives for the Northern Frontier, that is a sacrifice!
No matter what reason you have, you will never be able to move my heart again.
This is the last time that I will sincerely call you father.
I do not have the authority nor the ability to judge you.
However, the omnipotent God of Light will eventually give you a fair judgment for what you have done! "
After saying these words, Vera floated away, as if she did not want to stay with her adoptive father for another second.
The Duke Of St. Hilde stood alone in front of Charles' tombstone for a long time. Finally, he sighed and said softly.
"Do you hate me as much as you do?"
Of course, there was no response to this question. There was only a gentle breeze blowing past, carrying the Duke's murmuring somewhere.
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