July 11, 1444, about nine o'clock in the morning. The funeral of the martyrs of the Qiming Town militia who died in the battle of Besarius was held at the Qiming Town Martyrs Cemetery.
This is a gentle slope with higher terrain, and white stone tablets stand one after another among the green grass. The lawn is perfectly manicured and the fresh smell of grass is calming. Poplars and maples rustled in the distance.
On a gentle slope surrounded by green grass and trees, names are engraved on the marble walls.
The top of the stone wall is engraved with the words "Tomb of Qiming Heroes and Martyrs". Here lie the martyrs who sacrificed their lives in the construction and defense of Qiming Town.
The fist and morning star flags were lowered to half, and Roland got off his horse from a distance and walked slowly to the tomb of the heroes and martyrs surrounded by green grass. The soldiers saluted him and asked him to officiate at the funeral. The 22 artillerymen who died in the battle with Besarius and the two civilian husbands who died in a transportation accident on the way will be buried here.
Griffith and everyone came to attend today's funeral. If it were not for these brave warriors, he would be the one who is buried underground. An officer in simple clothes but with a majestic expression stood up and recited the hero's name and deeds during his lifetime loudly. Most of the soldiers who died in the battle were sacrificed by Besarius' magical counterattack, and many of their bodies were never recovered.
Sonia felt that her throat was interfering and she could not speak. She didn't know any of the soldiers or civilians who died, but she felt a deep sadness and sadness, as if someone was tightening her throat.
The town's residents, hundreds of whom gathered, mourned in murmurs. There is no sad music, no chanting and prayers from priests and priests. The bugler blew a tearful trumpet sound, and as the trumpet sounded, the mourning crowd also fell silent.
Roland's phalanx soldiers sent out a squadron, wearing clean starched gray military uniforms. They came with a solemn and slow goose step, holding spears and muskets. As the trumpets stopped, the soldiers slowly unfolded in response to the drumbeats.
The pikemen were divided into two columns on the left and right, holding up their gleaming spears and staggering above them, while the other two lined up horizontally with their matchlocks.
The military drum beat slowly, and twelve black carriages pulled by twenty-four horses drove slowly past the forest of guns, with two simple coffins placed on each vehicle. In the solemn and slow beat of drums, horse hooves beat on the stone road. Sad but full of respect, admiration and touching mood surged in people's hearts. Nothing embodies mourning and sorrow more than all this, and the solemn atmosphere is almost suffocating.
As the coffin was slowly lowered into the grave, an officer shouted:
"Raise the gun and let go!"
The arquebus soldiers lined up raised their guns and fired into the air at the same time, and dense gunfire and white smoke lingered above the grass. Griffith took off his helmet and Lana drew his sword and saluted the buried soldier.
There was silence all around. In the silence, the bugler slowly blew the lights-out trumpet. As the 24 syllables were slowly played, all the girls present started to cry.
The ceremony was brief, the coffin began to be covered with earth, and the soldiers present filed away. Roland stood aside with a solemn expression, looking at his soldiers and sighing softly.
"Were the war dead good friends of Knight Roland?" Fiona asked, wiping her tears.
"No, they are all ordinary militiamen and sergeants." Lana said in a low voice.
"Ah, why?" Fiona asked almost subconsciously. How could such a solemn ceremony, attended by the lord and his noble guests, not be noble persons or friends?
Griffith glanced at her, but soon realized there was no need to explain. Fiona, who was disillusioned because the romantic knight in the story became a bald uncle, had been sulking, and Fiona, who had been mocking Roland since they met, stopped talking.
After the victory in the battle of Verona, she hurriedly left with everyone. She was sure that the family and the government would properly handle these soldiers, pay bonuses as agreed, collect the war dead, and take care of their families.
At this moment, she bit her lip and said nothing.
…
"Besarius was once an upright and wise purifier of elves. But he was already occupied by other beings at the beginning of the spread of mutated pollution, and his consciousness has long since died. The one you encountered and fought underground is An existence sleeping underground.
"When you first came to the swamp, you saw the twisted aura. The mutated beasts came from the ancient mysterious creatures underground. After you went to the ruins, I found a clue from the remains of the mutated creatures and tried to find you at the ruins. But. , when I arrived, the entrance had collapsed.
"I asked Ty Nephes for help and received powerful divination assistance, so I arranged an ambush in advance to meet you. Since then, I have been planning to fight against them."
Knight Roland said to the inspection team that returned to Qiming Town. He looked out the window. On the table beside him were Besarius's war blade, dice and the extraordinary properties left behind.
Everyone looked at him in silence. Suddenly, Galadia stood up and said, "Knight Roland, didn't my people send someone to help? Where is my cousin?"
"She came, but she had a quarrel with me and went back," Roland shrugged. "However, even if she and I don't take action, there will be more powerful people to support you."
Sonia asked: "Who is the Lord of Dreams underground? Is he an evil god?"
"Hey, little girl, you'd better not know. Curiosity is the easiest way to touch the tentacles of evil. Moreover, there are endless evil conspiracies, so what can you do if you know?" Roland said, "This is a common thing. In the past, This has been a common occurrence for more than ten years.”
The leader of Qiming Town stood up and opened the door to everyone:
"Will one brave person after another brave person succeed in his repeated adventures in purging evil?
"What's the difference between each hero's story? Mysteries remain forever, has the soil that breeds evil ever changed? I've long been tired of eliminating them one after another.
"Come, young friends, let me show you around."
Everyone followed Roland through the woods. Under the chrysanthemum-red dusk, the lights beside the river in the distance were brightly lit, like stars falling on the ground. From time to time, the tall chimney spits out a bunch of sparks toward the darkening sky, like fireworks at a festival. The hoarse and monotonous sound of steam, the roar of huge buckets and levers, and the intermittent sharp sounds of winches.
There were loud clanking sounds and the squeaking sounds of sawing wood.
There is a giant beast waking up at dusk. Its huge body is crawling between the hills and the river, breathing clouds and mist with its steel lungs.
Griffith's eyes flashed with surprise and admiration. He turned around and found that everyone was impressed by the sight they had never seen before, silently staring at this terrifying beast made of metal, wood, coal, masonry and strange components. composed of monsters. .
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Roland smiled, "This is it,
"my choice."
"This is your power to fight against evil, isn't it?" Sonia said with admiration, "Thank you for your generosity, we will keep all this secret."
"Keep the secret strictly? No, little girl, no need," Roland said with a smile, "I have spread the secret. Soon, the whole world will be impressed and penetrated by this power, and then become irreversibly intoxicated. Civilization will eventually Everyone will benefit from this.”
Under the gaze of everyone, Roland turned around:
“This is me, Roland’s way of being a brave man.
"After all, I am only a human body. When my friends and comrades-in-arms leave me, and time passes, sooner or later I will be unable to do anything to the demon king who can never be killed.
"However, my true inheritance will be to put down the armor and banners, leave the glorious temple, put on common clothes and go to the world.
"Look, everyone,
"At that time, the world will be our temple, and the temple will become a prison for the devil's disciples."
…
According to the people in the town, the strange mutated aura of Turan Swamp is dissipating. Like frightened animals, they quietly hid deep underground.
To celebrate the victory, the town will host a party for the militiamen who participated in the battle. Everyone must mourn for the fallen soldiers, but the living must muster up courage and find happiness.
The three girls from Homemon Watts were determined to dedicate a song to everyone. Although there were no suitable jewelry here, they put on white dresses and garlands, which made everyone in Qimin Town very happy.
Griffith and Roland sat together. The knight looked at the girls on stage and commented softly: "Not bad, but they must wear plaid skirts."
"Platform skirt?" Griffith asked in surprise.
Roland continued: "Yes, a short skirt that is at least ten centimeters above the knee. The color should be bright, and it would be better if paired with a white shirt and a plaid tie of the same color."
Tsk, you idiot! Griffith exclaimed in his mind. How could Galadia be allowed to stand on stage wearing such a short skirt, unless I was the only one in the audience!
Roland then made some weird comments, like how everyone should have different hairstyles, different idioms, aura and personality, etc., as if he knew it very well. He chattered endlessly and sounded very picky, but his eyes sparkled, and one could tell that he was extremely happy. Griffith pressed his head, not knowing how to proceed.
Just then the girls started. Fiona stood up first and said to the audience: "We dedicate this song - "O" to the Knights of Roland and the heroes of Qimin Town."
Roland nodded calmly in the audience, and even muttered a few comments saying that the title of the song was good and so on. But when the song started, he suddenly lost his words.
"The soul that meets you is unique,
"It was never a mistake;
"Because we all hold the same dream,
"Thinking about our divergent paths,
"Lift up the abandoned longing again,
“Forward in the wilderness!”
This is a new song reserved for the Frost Festival in Homemonworth. Fiona, who has always played alto, seems to have switched personalities. She is no longer a countess, but a warrior trekking on adventures. Her singing voice is moving and powerful, even suppressing Galadia's high notes, releasing her unruly wildness.
"Whether it's a smile or a tear,
“Lift up what is holy,
"The nameless me and your flag,
"On the other side of this road that continues with no end in sight,
"The only ray of light!
“Already shining in thousands of hearts.
"Look up at the sky and firmly believe
“That morning star shining high in the east—”
This song seems to have been written for Roland. Griffith was lost. He seemed to see Roland's past figure, which resonated with his ideals.
"You sighed softly.
"A closed night is like not being tempted,
"Even if my chest hurts so much, I will move forward——"
The girls' singing voices are sometimes high-pitched, sometimes beautiful and graceful, penetrating the soul and intoxicating everyone.
When Griffith looked at the speechless Roland, he found that his expression was first filled with shock, mixed with dreamlike confusion, and then almost crazy ecstasy and emotion, and he even wanted to kneel down.
He looked up at the endless starry sky with no end in sight, and smiled extremely satisfied.
Tears pierced the eyes of the middle-aged knight. Roland, who had been mumbling just now, covered his face and cried uncontrollably next to Griffith:
"Give me back the K group."
…
The atmosphere of the party reached its climax in the singing. Even the soldiers on guard in the distance were deeply attracted and could not look away for a moment.
They stood there motionless, carrying their muskets and lances. It wasn't until the song ended that they discovered a girl wrapped in a burqa appeared next to them.
Her whole body was covered by a light blue robe, and only her soft blond hair, delicate mouth corners, and small nose bridge were exposed under the hood. Just because of this, the soldiers on guard also concluded that there must be a stunningly beautiful girl under the burqa.
The girl didn't know when she appeared next to them, and one step further was the venue of the party. Although residents are not prohibited from watching, their identities need to be verified before that.
"Stop," one of the soldiers said. "Please show me your identification."
His attitude was very gentle. After all, what danger could a lovely girl be in?
"I'm just here to take a look from a distance, okay?" the girl asked in a sweet voice.
The soldiers immediately felt guilty for no reason, feeling extremely ashamed and terrified that they had hindered her. They retreated in panic, not daring to give her any more trouble.
She just looked ahead from a distance, not paying attention to the beautiful singing and beautiful girls on the stage, but searching among the crowd below the stage. Finally, she was delighted to see a familiar figure. She stood on tiptoes excitedly and subconsciously stretched out her hand.
"clang--!"
There was a metallic impact behind her, which struck directly into her soul like thunder striking her soul. The ice-blue sword blade was so sharp that it burned the eyes. Lightning-like light flashed through the darkness and then disappeared into the scabbard.
The girl turned around as if she was electrocuted and stared at the shadows in the street behind her.
"Who are you?"
The sword bearer heard her question and emerged from the darkness. His momentum is extraordinary, his charm is irresistible but full of arrogance and cruelty: "Sidious Villanoy, Sequence 5 Secret Keeper and Astral Knight.
"Death as soon as possible, little girl. If you continue to live in this world, you won't even be able to die."
