The long sword was placed on his shoulder, and the coldness of steel seemed to penetrate into his bones. Hitarian swallowed, hoping his uneasiness didn't show on his face.
"Is this your squire?" the black knight asked. His soul fire stared at the carpet.
"Yes...yes." Before the ceremony, Ms. Liana demonstrated it to her hundreds of times, but when it came to the real scene, her tongue was still strangely unruly.
"You have able-bodied friends, right?"
Mulum was watching from the bottom of the steps and couldn't help but shrink his neck when he heard this. Of course she has friends, not just Murum. There are more relatives, Lady Liana and Celsus, the northerner Witek, and even Worrell who is still lying in the ward. But they all have their own lives and there is no need to take risks. Only Ruth wasn't.
"Yes, yes." She couldn't stutter. "It's just, sir, I think Ruth is more suitable. She is my biological sister, and we are connected by blood."
Generally speaking, knights and squires do not need to be related by blood. However, Hitarian is not meant to be a true knight, she can neither ride a horse nor wield a sword. What is a knight without a horse and a sword? Hitarian had originally determined to become a doctor, but she never imagined that she would kneel before the noble steps to receive the canonization.
"Blood relatives can be connected through witchcraft, sir." the dean explained. She is Hitarian's mentor, a nature spirit named Nin'Aiel. Hitarian had never seen a green elf before. "Because of the environment Ringot was going to, I thought witchcraft would be more appropriate than any other mystery."
"You think I don't understand?" The Black Knight glanced at them coldly, and no one dared to look at him. "Blood spells belong to black witchcraft, not school witchcraft."
Hitarian didn't understand, but she didn't want to remain silent. Ruth couldn't survive without me. Since she had to leave, she couldn't leave her sister helpless no matter what. Without her, Lady Liana would be too busy, and Celsus and Wittek would not be able to take care of their sister. As for Murum...for some reason, Hitarian was unwilling to let him take care of Ruth. Who else is coming? Baldness and scissors?
"Black magic is also witchcraft." She said with the courage of her life, "I...I can't choose the mystery I get. Maybe, I mean, maybe they will notice me because of black magic."
"That's it, my lord." Wittek, the northerner, also said. After all, he is a leader, a direct subordinate of the undead lord, and he is not afraid of facing his superiors. "A little appropriate suspicion is more trustworthy. We can forge traces of black witchcraft and attract hunters to search for the remnants of the dark wizards in the school. Lord Mercury cannot return to the school. Those dark wizards are destined to be unlucky. It is better to die. Use some residual heat.”
"It's unnecessary. Clarifying suspicions can indeed gain trust, but the more cover-up methods, the more likely it is to leave traces." The undead knight's sword rested on her shoulder, and Hitarian's knees hurt from kneeling on the carpet. His arm remained motionless, and the sword's blade did not tremble. The temperature in the hall seemed to be dropping. "What are you talking about? The dark wizard is ours, not a banana peel you throw around."
The northerner lowered his head. "I made a mistake, my lord. Please forgive me." Only Hitarian could see the disapproval on his face. Starless Night is the society of the Nameless Ones, and she understands that ordinary people are not welcome unless they choose between the mysterious realm and the Nameless Ones.
"There will be no next time," the Black Knight warned. He turned to glare at Ruth, who was sleeping on the carpet, oblivious to the outside world. He was clearly dissatisfied. "I need a gardener who can deliver information in a timely manner to ensure the timeliness of Nightingale's information. She is not qualified."
Not to mention the gardener, she is not yet qualified as a nightingale. Hitarian gritted his teeth to stop himself from shaking in fear. Leaving Byrne, living in a strange environment where he takes pleasure in hunting unknown people, and quietly steals local secrets... Although Witek promised that he would find a suitable mask for Shitarian, the risk of this trip The risks remain beyond imagination. At least it was her own imagination. I have never even seen the mysterious fulcrum. She lowered her head feebly, but now she wants to become a part of it with the purpose of betrayal.
If she had the courage, Hitarian would really like to protest, but her courage would only allow her to make suggestions on the choice of servants, nothing more.
It's all Lord Quicksilver's fault, she thought pitifully, if she hadn't been fooled by the bad guys, I wouldn't have to go to Moniantoros.
That day in Byrne's palace, Hitarian witnessed with his own eyes the failure of Mercury Lord Lameta, or in other words, the school wizard Pacinis. She was deceived and lost her territory. The entire mysterious realm is chasing her, a poor woman who has lost her lover, and the School of Silence is particularly egregious. Before they found her, they tied a man named Dmitri to the stake and burned him alive. Just hearing these stories from the past gave Hitarian a chill. If Ruth and I hadn't met Whittaker in Clover City...
Fortunately, everything is if. Poor Patsynis, her past cannot be changed. Hitarian thought of Lord Mercury's gentle tone and delicate care when thanking him, and couldn't help but feel ashamed of his previous unreasonable blame. Unlike when he was watching the meeting of lords at the detection station, Lord Quicksilver was not at all difficult to deal with. On the contrary, Hitarian was almost flattered by her attitude. A beautiful woman who is aggressive and sarcastic in front of others, but gentle and affectionate in front of you, her charm is something that no one can refuse. Ringot is no exception. I failed to heal her, Shitarion thought, I failed to cheer her up.
The Black Knight locked Lord Quicksilver behind the Bone Gate leading to Garvash. Later, Shitarian quietly asked Witkshazo, and the northerners told her that Garvash was the destination of all souls and the kingdom of the dead. This was so terrible that even if Hitarian felt aggrieved for Pacinis, she would not dare to protest to the Black Knight at all. When the lord asked her if she was willing to go to the School of Silence, she couldn't refuse.
Pacinis is one of the seven lords of the Order, and will also make mistakes and escape back to Byrne. Hitarian didn't think he could do any better than her. After all, why me? Because I happened to be there?
Even without the precedent of Lord Mercury, she would not have been able to break into the palace without permission. It was the Black Knight who took her to the throne and heard those great secrets that were difficult to understand. Maybe he wanted to kill me, Hitarian couldn't resist this thought, the Black Knight wanted to kill me, because I walked out of Byrne's palace and I heard the secrets of the Nightingale and the Lords of the Order.
Unable to suppress her fear, she got up in the night and cried to Lady Liana. The foster mother carried Hitarian to a rocking chair and comforted her with honey and pastries.
"The Lord will not harm you." Ms. Liana said, "He exists to protect us. The safety of the association relies on contracts, and all contracts belong to the Undead Lord... He is the Lord of Byrne."
"Really not?"
"It's absolutely true. We are all his relatives, good girls, and our souls allow us to understand each other."
But he almost killed Pacinis. Hitarian wanted to tell her. He threw her into the realm of the dead and sent me beyond Byrne. He wanted me to leave and go to a dangerous place. But Hitarian looked at Lady Liana: the dark circles under her eyes and the wrinkles on her forehead. "Bronze Gear" has heavy work every day, and Ms. Liana is exhausted from it. She couldn't say anything at once.
I'm part of a secret society, Hitarian suddenly realized. The Black Knight certainly had a reason to find me. I was his people, his kin, and he sent the northerner Witek to save my life and Ruth's from the hands of the Knights of the Cross. I owe him a debt of gratitude. Hitarian is afraid of leaving Byrne, but she must pay the price for the stable life she has gained. In fact, she doesn't love anyone else the same way she loves Ruth. This is all the result of her selfishness.
This isn't fair.
The next day she came outside the palace and waited for the Black Knight to grant her the contract. The process was very grueling, and apparently even the Black Knight himself didn't expect it.
"Communications are not important at the moment, sir." Nightwatchman Celsus said, "Kitarian does not need to pry around, she only needs to play her role. Nightingale is a profound knowledge, not suitable for young girls who are just starting out. ...She can learn other things like a normal apprentice. Do you expect her to reach the level of Lord Mercury?"
"My hopes are meaningless."
"Then let them have their way, my lord. Ruth is her little lucky star. As long as they don't take off their masks, they are safe, as safe as they are in Byrne."
"Byrne is not absolutely safe." But the Black Knight finally let them go, "She is not the only nightingale, Wittek, we all know it." Coldness radiated from his eyes. The undead lord raised his voice slightly: "Xitarian Lingot, swear by your fire."
"Yes, sir." She was unexpectedly tongue-tied.
"From today on, your loyalty belongs to Byrne, and your soul belongs to Mysterious End."
"Yes, sir."
"You will come back alive, for the relatives, friends and loved ones who are waiting for you."
This line was not part of the rehearsal. Hitarian did not raise her head, the steel on her shoulders became even heavier, suppressing her fear. "I promise, my lord." At this moment Ruth turned over and began to drool.
"Ruth Ringot is your squire, and she will watch over your life until the gods return to the earth."
"Yes, my lord."
Hitarian did not see the magic text of the Fire Contract, but he caught the fleeting light on the surface of the porcelain with his peripheral vision. Then, the steel was removed from the shoulder and returned to the scabbard with a clang. "You're fighting for a noble cause, Ringot."
An unprecedented sense of honor filled my heart. I am a nightingale who is about to fly to the Silent School. Xitalian thought, if nothing happens, I can fly back again. Byrne is my forever hometown.
After the ceremony, the Northerners and Celsus were the first to leave, followed by Lady Liana and Murum. They took away the Ringott sisters. Hitarian turned around the first corner and saw the Black Knight still standing on the steps, his silver cape dancing behind him.
He looked at the palace.
…
The strange magic immediately caught his attention. Uriel pressed his temples, trying to distinguish the mess of fire. "What's out there?" he asked.
"What else? A green elf."
It seems that I didn't sleep until Moniantoros, which is really a blessing. "Where are we?" The apprentice almost sneezed, "How long have I been sleeping for?" He actually didn't feel tired at all. Looking back, he didn't seem to have had a nightmare just now. Did the Scroll of Oath let me go?
"On the Akiba Walkway." Dalton answered a question. His mental state is not bad, at least there is no sign of excessive consumption of magic power. In the next sentence he explains why. "We've been resting here for three hours."
"three hours?"
"That's what Sauron said." Obviously, none of them had a watch with them. "It's chaos out there."
"You can hear it." It doesn't take an apprentice to notice this. The sound of impact spread into the grotto, shaking the sand and dust on the ground. This isn't right. Uriel had already foreseen their future leaving Saint Valoran through his spiritual vision. In that dream, they were not delayed in the cave by anything. Has the future changed?
It is not my fault. Uriel felt that his spirit was quite uplifted and his magic power was very abundant. This is all thanks to the sleep I just had. But he was always awake in that future dream. "Why did I sleep for so long?"
The orange-faced man snickered in the middle: "You're drunk."
Drunk? After leaving Marandeno, he had not touched wine at all...until Madame Claia handed him a heated kettle, claiming that it could be used to remove dampness. The memory suddenly revived, Uriel stared at Mr. Ring: "Did you drink cicada for me?" Although the cicada potion is used as a sedative in Blumnot, it is still a mysterious item, and mercenaries rarely have potions. A splurge, only this guy would carry it with him.
You are welcome. Just think of me as showing mercy.
No one is polite to you. "Why are you doing this? Our trip has been delayed." The apprentice was very annoyed.
Isn't that good? Sauron replied proudly.
He almost forgot that Mr. Ring had never supported him going to Monian Toros. A fall in order is coming, and astrologers hope that a break in fate will bring protection. "Don't do it again, Sauron, I'm serious." Uriel felt a headache again, but this time it wasn't physical pain. It was completely useless to worry about these things with the Night Whispering Ring. He forced himself to divert his attention. "Why do green elves gather in the autumn leaves walkway?"
"They're dealing with monsters," Dalton said. "We're out of luck."
wrong. Uriel thought to himself, there are more than just monsters out there. He could see the strange fire, which was extremely clear even through the stone wall. That is not part of the order. The magic power rushes left and right, suppressing the opponent with a strange degree of mystery, and the mystery is boiling. The answer is obvious: there is a nameless one among the green elves.
