Aleph raised his head and looked at his father. In his eyes, the Sand King was thin and serious. The hands exposed outside the robe were just skin and bones, and the veins under the skin were exposed, like a shadow sitting on the throne, but only a pair of eyes were burning with blazing flames, showing Breathtaking majesty.
He has long passed the age of vigorous energy, but his mind is still as shrewd as a young man, just as it was more than ten years ago. At least in Aleph's opinion, no one should dare to play any tricks in front of this man, his father. Even his son would often feel a little uneasy under this kind of pressure.
But today, Babartan's tone was very gentle, just like an ordinary old man: "Have you seen Burrard recently?"
Aleph nodded.
There was a low buzz around, and people couldn't help but wonder what the Sand King's slow attitude towards his eldest son meant. Everyone was secretly suspecting the deeper meaning behind this change in attitude. The courtiers looked at Aleph with profound meaning for a moment, and even his brothers looked over with a hint of envy.
But Aleph didn't even dare to take a breath. Afifah often said that he should inherit the throne, or her sister, and his feelings for this throne were very special. It was neither longing nor resisting. What made him more nervous was how he should interact with this throne. Getting along with a father who is a king.
Barbartan obviously knew the nature of his son very well.
He cherished his words like gold and said no more. He only looked over his eldest son's shoulder. Outside the palace, the celebrant was raising a beam of starlight from the bonfire. The bright brilliance reached the sky and the earth, as if there was really a shining star. The shining stars rise slowly from the darkness. He still remembered the shocking scene when he participated in the Star Ceremony for the first time as a child. At that time, his father told him that only those with higher status could receive the blessing of the holy fire in a higher position.
At that time, he secretly swore in his heart that one day he would be at the front, receive an interview from the King of Sand, and be blessed by the radiance of the Holy Fire. At that time, the Penelope family was just an inconspicuous side branch. Later, his wishes came true one by one, and he didn't even need to be received by the King of Sand anymore, because he became the King of Sand himself.
But the vision of the past gradually faded away and became a less important goal. He wanted to achieve more and more goals, but also fewer and fewer. After taking over the throne from his father, his former enemies disappeared one by one. The only thing left in his memory was an encounter. That’s all.
"Babartan, I will protect this land with you in the future."
"I have a secret to tell you."
After the illusions in front of him disappeared, he returned to this familiar yet unfamiliar palace.
Babartan looked at the young man in front of him who was somewhat similar to himself in the past, and sighed: "Aleph, do you remember what happened to Albert?"
Aleph immediately remembered his younger brother who died from the epidemic. It was a great plague ten years ago, which followed the war - war will bring plague, this is Aita Something everyone knows about Leah. The plague swept from Nognith and even spread to the south of Caulin-Ithurion, and Istania was naturally not immune.
The survival rate of Istanian infants in this era was extremely low, and they would always die from various strange and sudden illnesses. Even if there were stars, the survival rate was only 50%. Of course, if Aleph knew the history of another world, he might be grateful for this, because compared to the other world at almost the same era, Aitaria was already much luckier.
His younger brother was actually not much younger than him, and he was already considered a 'grown-up', but unfortunately he still died in the plague. He was already nine years old at the time and had already known the incident, so he naturally had a deep memory of this incident. .
What Aleph was a little confused about was that his father had many heirs, and even more did not live to adulthood. He rarely mentioned these things on weekdays, so why did he mention Albert alone today? He couldn't help but raise his head, but saw his father looking directly at him. He couldn't help being frightened, and quickly lowered his head.
"In the blink of an eye, another ten years have passed."
"Thirteen years ago, I was ordered to go on an expedition. I didn't even expect to come back from Naugness alive, but in the end we defeated the empire together with the Kaolin people."
The Sand King seemed to be narrating something, and seemed to be talking to himself. "Aleph, sometimes it's important to get to know the right people. I made some friends during that war, such as the prince in the north and some of the Chosen Ones. They helped me a lot. Busy, and why wasn't your grandfather like this?"
The man on the throne was recalling the past, and the hall became a little quieter. However, the expressions of the old ministers and the new nobles were slightly different. The old people who had experienced the war thirteen years ago all showed memories of the war. The tragedy of that war was recorded in the scrolls today. Those who participated in that war came back. However, no one out of ten survives, and those who stay can be called lucky.
The upstarts who have risen in the past ten years have slightly subtle expressions on their faces. Naturally, they feel a little embarrassed in such an occasion.
However, no one would fail to understand the atmosphere at this time and say something inappropriate.
So for a while, only Babartan's voice was left in the hall.
Aleph lowered his head slightly, feeling uneasy in his heart. He always felt that his father's words meant something.
"After the war, epidemics followed."
"But thanks to the Holy Chosen One, this epidemic was quickly extinguished."
"That day when I saw the Sufang tree that I had planted, I was shocked to realize that so much time had passed."
The King of Sand looked at his eldest son and suddenly asked: "Aleph, I heard that you recently made a friend?"
Aleph was shocked and involuntarily raised his head again. He didn't expect that his father even knew this?
But Babartan said: "I also overheard people talking about this matter."
He turned around and his eyes fell on a courtier in the hall. Standing next to the solemn-looking middle-aged man was a pretty little girl with soft blond hair, tilting her head and looking in this direction. Facing the Sand King's gaze, the middle-aged man only nodded slightly.
…
Fang Yu disposed of the robe and headscarf he used for infiltration, changed his clothes again, and walked around the library again. When he returned to the square, the celebration and carnival in the open space had already begun for a while.
He returned to the crowd and saw that no one around him noticed him. He couldn't help but breathed a sigh of relief - tonight's operation went more smoothly than expected. Not only did he successfully achieve his goal, he met the eldest princess and completed the commission. Not to mention, and he hasn't gotten into any trouble yet, everything went so smoothly that he couldn't even believe it.
Not long ago, Sophie said that he had a constitution that caused trouble. Although he denied it verbally, Fang Pultru sometimes had doubts. Did the little princess of Silver Veslan unintentionally point out the truth? After all, from Dolifen to Idos, and then here, there seems to be no time when he doesn't get into trouble.
Moreover, small troubles will turn into big troubles, and big troubles will turn into huge troubles. In the end, they will even be related to things like the coming of the misfortune star and the war of the gods. It seems that every move of his will bring about Atari. The ending of subdirection destruction is the same. This idea of freedom is a bit absurd, but sometimes when he thinks about it carefully, it will scare him.
But fortunately, it seems that is not the case. At least once, I didn't get into any trouble, nor did I cause any foreign disputes as expected. In short, not only did things not go into the worst direction, they even went incredibly smoothly. Fang Yu couldn't help but reflect on it, was he too careless in the past?
If I had been so careful every time and planned in advance, maybe I wouldn't have gotten into so much trouble?
Fang Plover raised his head and looked at the brilliance rising above the bonfire.
That was the Star Rite of the Istanians.
This shows that the celebration has reached the middle stage. In the middle of the carnival, the crowd will gather around the bonfire to enjoy the performances of the palace entertainers, enjoy delicious food, and drink happily. At this time, the ceremony bearer will use magic to raise stars from the bonfire. The bright light not only symbolizes the starlight of all living things, but also is the sacred flame of Andromeda, the master of the world of life and death.
Those who are illuminated by the star will be blessed by Andrma, and everything will go smoothly in the coming year. Of course, this is just a good wish, but history has become tradition, and tradition has penetrated into the hearts of every desert people, making it a sacred culture.
This is also the most important social moment of the year for the nobles of Questaq. The people of the desert are not as closed and conservative as Corin-Ithurion. Young men and women often find their other side at such a celebration. half. I heard that there was a beautiful legend in Istania in the past. This is how the current King of Sand met the biological mother of His Royal Highness the Princess, who was also Babartan's first lover.
As a young man, Fang Yu was naturally favored by many enthusiastic girls on such occasions. Of course, this was also because his alchemist robe and the gold star on his collar were quite eye-catching.
"Mr. Alchemist, would you like to dance with me?"
"Mr. Alchemist, do you want to exchange bracelets with me?"
"Which family does Mr. Alchemist come from?"
The noble girls of Istania are passionate and unrestrained, with bold and direct expressions in their eyes.
However, they were also very straightforward, and of course they were not really ignorant girls. When they heard that Fang Yu was just a commoner and a Holy Chosen One, they all left in a tactful tone.
For a moment, Fang Plover felt dumbfounded.
Although what he was thinking about at this time was only Sylvide - at most there was a fleeting silver-haired girl, but it soon faded from his heart. However, the frankness of these noble girls from the desert people still left him speechless.
Of course, he also knew that Questac's annual social ceremony, especially in this square, was certainly not that simple. These girls who come from noble families have received such education since they were young. Naturally, they come to this place with their most ideal goals in mind.
As for appearance, talent and other things, they are not the most important, family background is.
Moreover, they will not make unrealistic and high-achieving dreams. Everyone is terrifyingly realistic. Their goals that are well matched have probably been circled in their hearts before the celebration begins.
Fang Plover sighed. Perhaps for the Istanians, this celebration was more pure than the one on the square outside the palace. If it weren't for Aleph's sake and the reason why he wanted to see the eldest princess, he might have been willing to go there instead of staying here.
After the girls left one by one, things finally became quiet around Fang Plover.
The melodious sound of music came from the distance, and the Star Ceremony had already been held in the second half. The starlight gradually rose until it reached the highest point of the night sky. When it reached the top of the palace, it would explode like a bouquet of fireworks, The bright light spread across the entire Questac. At that moment, the celebration will reach its climax.
Fang Yu planned to leave until then. At the moment when the celebration reached its climax and the blessings of the stars spread over the whole city, leaving this palace of sand sounded very romantic, didn't it?
Unfortunately, things turned out differently.
Because before that, he met Aleph.
The prince found him in a hurry, without his usual demeanor at all, and even said out of breath: "Ed, my father wants to see you."
Fang Plover was immediately stunned.
He looked at Aleph, originally thinking that His Highness the Prince would appear later, at least after the Sand King and his entourage on the high platform left. The reason why he originally planned to leave here early was because he did not want to have this encounter with the other party. Of course, it was not that he deliberately avoided the prince, but that he really did not want to cause more trouble in this place and on this night.
But he didn't expect that things would come to him anyway, and it would happen so suddenly.
This prince even found him in a hurry before the Star Ceremony was completed, and told him as soon as he opened his mouth - the King of Sand wanted to see him?
Fang Yu almost had doubts about his life. Could it be that he was the protagonist in the legend and that everything would come to him? Because even if he tried hard, he couldn't think of a reason why Babartan wanted to see him. He had never met the King of Sand, and there was no relationship between the two.
Okay, maybe it has something to do with it...
But the other party may not know it either.
"The King of Sand wants to see me?" Fang Yu almost thought that the other party was joking with him, pointed at himself and said blankly.
"Don't worry, my father just knows the relationship between the tower magic furnace and you, and wants to meet such a young alchemist like you."
Aleph calmed down his breathing, and looked much more relaxed than before. He even laughed - this was the first time Fang Plover saw the prince laugh in these days. Fang Yu couldn't help but secretly guess that the other party's gift must be quite popular with the King of Sand.
So, is this the reason why I was able to meet this king?
He couldn't help but be a little speechless.
If I had known earlier, I shouldn't have acted like this.
But he seemed to have forgotten that if he didn't pretend to be this cool, it seemed that he wouldn't be able to come to this place, let alone meet Her Royal Highness the Princess.
"Well," what Fang Plover doesn't want the most right now is to be in the limelight. After all, he has done a lot of things in Bein, and theoretically, he is on the opposite side of the Sand King - although the Sand King may not know it. , but Fang Yu still couldn't help but feel guilty. After all, he had just met the princess not long ago.
He hesitated again and again, and finally couldn't help but ask: "Can I refuse?"
Aleph couldn't help but laugh.
"Don't be ridiculous, Ed," he shook his head: "Give me a face. If you refuse, I will be in trouble."
Fang Plover couldn't help but be speechless.
He really wanted to say, if you are not unlucky, I might be unlucky - although it is only a possibility. But looking at Aleph like this, he really couldn't say no. He had helped him a lot these days without hesitation, and he truly regarded him as a friend and brother.
But now it is just a meeting with the King of Sand. In the eyes of many people, this may be an honor. If I refuse, what reason should I give? Of course, you can't say a common excuse. It's better not to use it as an insult to your intelligence as soon as possible. As for speaking frankly?
Fang Yu felt that he might as well go and see the King of Sand.
The other party didn't seem to give him the chance to refuse. He grabbed his arm and walked forward, saying: "Don't be so nervous, my brother, my father is easy to talk to."
Aleph said something casually. This was the first time he had lied since he was a child. He couldn't help but blush slightly, but he couldn't care so much for a while. Fortunately, he was facing the other direction, and Fang Plover also saw it. No - and as for whether his father is easy to talk to, Aleph himself doesn't believe such nonsense anyway. He seemed to have a guilty conscience and added: "Meeting him will always be of some benefit to you. My father is not a stingy person. If you repair the tower magic furnace, he will always give you some rewards—— "
"perhaps……"
"perhaps?"
"Maybe."
"Maybe?"
"I mean, this is probably why my father wants to see you," Aleph coughed. "After all, I can't think of any other reason why he wants to see you..."
"Wait a minute, so you're not sure?"
"Of course... somewhat certain," Aleph said with great embarrassment, "Maybe it's because you are too young. After all, such a young alchemist should be rare in Istania."
Faced with the ambiguous statement of the other party, Fang Yu became suspicious, and he increasingly felt that this so-called interview was not so reliable.
"Wait a minute, Aleph, I suddenly thought of something that I haven't done yet... I really have to go back."
"Ed, please give me some face."
"No, I won't give it."
…
Miaoshuwu
