Chapter 135: Dawn: Beautiful Memories [VIP]
“…Is that all?”
Yaris looked at the eloquent "Edmund" with an expressionless face.
Edmund was stunned for a moment.
【No feelings?】
"Feelings? Why should I have feelings?"
【you--】
"Since you sincerely want to hear my thoughts, I will kindly satisfy you."
Yaris said disdainfully, "After listening to your stupid nonsense, my only thought is: What right do you have to ask us to accept you and share the planet with you? This is our land, our world, our planet!"
Your land? Your world? Your planet?
[Possessing a perspective beyond the planet and time, you long ago knew that humans were not the first, nor the only, intelligent creatures born on this planet. Yet, your thinking is as selfish, narrow-minded, and arrogant as those humans, who are even lower than insects, and who take it for granted that humans are the rulers of the planet!]
"I'm arrogant by nature."
Yaris looked at Edmund sarcastically: "In my eyes, you are a beast even more stupid and ignorant than the humans you look down upon."
[However, your planet allows us to live here, and we have a higher civilization and power than you. We are qualified to put the entire planet under our control!]
"If that's the case, why are you resorting to roundabout methods to conquer this world? Why not just defeat the gods directly and forcibly bring the world under your control with absolute power?"
Yaris asked back "Edmund".
【……】
"Combining your account with the records left by the Eternal Empire, it seems your ancestors arrived on our planet before the Eternal Empire was established. This means you've lived on Ella for at least ten thousand years, yet you've never dared to harbor any desire to monopolize our planet. What happened in the last few hundred years that made you think you had the power to control the entire planet?"
【……】
Yaris' words caused Edmund's temporary body, made of black miasma, to gradually twist, revealing a faint, uneasy red.
[You think we need your support to own your planet? Your world?! I will let you admire the golden palace I built for you right now!]
As he said this, the part below the neck of "Edmund" gradually expanded, forming a large mirror two people tall. At first glance, it seemed as if Edmund's head and limbs were growing on the mirror.
Yaris stared at the mirror intently.
In the mirror, there are six white pyramids under construction - each white pyramid is an oversized four-sided pyramid, covering an area equivalent to a small village with a population of over 100 in the plains - although it is a man-made structure made of countless white stones, the surface of the pyramid is polished to be extremely smooth, and each facet has a long staircase paved with hundreds of white stone slabs leading directly to the top. At the top of each pyramid is an altar, and on both sides of the altar stand a pair of black obelisks over 20 meters high and with four gleaming faces.
The six white pyramids and the ditches beneath them together form a huge circle. In the center of the circle is a luxurious palace shrouded in a circular barrier. There is also a wide artificial ditch outside the palace.
There are white marble embankments on both sides of the ditch. What flows in the ditch is not colorless and transparent water, but a thick red liquid of unknown composition that is as thick as blood.
In addition to the two ditches, there are six straight roads and multiple building complexes between the six pyramids and the palace shrouded in barriers.
Looking down from a high altitude, you will find that the palace, six white pyramids and the numerous buildings between them form a huge and complex hexagram array.
In this giant complex of buildings that is so neatly planned that it is chilling, tens of thousands of slave laborers are doing heavy physical labor, sweating like ants.
Whenever the slaves became slow to move due to excessive fatigue, the lizard monsters guarding them would raise their barbed whips and beat their already scarred bodies until blood flowed.
If someone is unfortunately beaten to death or falls down due to heavy work and can no longer stand up, the lizard monster will throw the corpse onto a cart, stuff it into a special oven, and then roast it and eat it.
"...After reading this, I am even more determined to fight!"
【Yeah? 】
"There's no room for maneuver!"
[Even if a nod from you can save all the workers on site? ]
"That's right."
Yaris pretended to be indifferent and said, "I will only decide to sacrifice myself when I am sure that my sacrifice can be exchanged for something worth ten thousand times more than my life."
[Do you think their lives combined are not as valuable as yours?]
"Don't you think so?"
Yaris stretched his body and asked Edmund: "You haven't answered my question directly yet."
What's the problem?
"Edmund" plays dumb.
"Which of the gods made a secret agreement with you, promising to help you gain the entire world?"
【……】
, right? "
【……】
A strong resentment flashed across Edmund's face.
】
Afterwards, the entire body, including the strange mirror formed below the neck, quickly converged, turned into black smoke and flowed into the antique mirror, leaving the White Tower.
"Oh……"
Yaris leaned against the bedpost, a mysterious smile on the corner of her beautiful lips.
…
…
”
Glancing at the water and then at the sturdy bridge made of a material called Sugan, which coiled like a giant gray dragon over the Cass River, Alfonso couldn't help but exclaim, "Lucien... No! Such a sturdy bridge!"
Marina, who was traveling with them, blushed with excitement. "I've heard that His Majesty built a bridge over the Kas River, but... seeing it in person is incredible! It's a miracle! No wonder His Majesty said that the young master is a treasure bestowed upon him by fate."
"With this bridge, Gaola has become more closely connected with the outside world, and local people now have more job opportunities. They no longer have to risk their lives carrying people across the river."
Xiao Yun introduced: "It was also because of this bridge that the Finila region, which had shared the Kashi River with Gaola for a hundred years, immediately joined our camp after receiving the news."
"Do I have any other choice?"
Lord Danno of Finila, who was traveling with us, said with a wry smile.
Xiao Yun smiled but said nothing.
On the other side of the bridge, John Deere led the eager-eyed representatives from all walks of life in Gaola and stood ready.
"All residents of the Gaola region, all tribes in the dense forest, and residents of the surrounding areas will always support and be loyal to His Majesty Aura I, the Emperor of the Holy Sun Empire and the Grand Marquis of Gaola!"
With these words, the crowded crowd burst into wild cheers.
"Long live! Long live!"
"Long live Aura I! Long live the Holy Sun Empire!"
"Long live!"
…
Amid the excited cheers of the people along the way, Xiao Yun and his allies returned to Dekara Castle, also known as the Black Castle.
"What happens next—"
"If your majesty is asking about feeding the army, I purchased various daily necessities, including grain, from cargo ships passing through Gora three months ago. Currently, Castle Black's warehouses have enough food to feed ten thousand men for six months."
"In addition, local farmers in Gaola have accepted Your Majesty's advice and widely used the new tools and technologies you suggested. Winter wheat is growing well and will soon have a good harvest. Rice cultivation is also being steadily promoted."
"Thanks for your hard work."
Xiao Yun looked at John Dill with admiration. He looked calm and pretty like a young girl. "Because of my mentor, I can leave Gaola for a long time and do other things I want to do."
"I just did what I was supposed to do as the chief of staff."
John Deere whispered, and then—
"Your Highness is now..."
"My brother said he wouldn't be in danger, but I..."
Xiao Yun sighed: "You know, although his heart is extremely firm, his body is delicate and fragile."
"So we must quickly assemble our troops and march to the capital to end Edmund III's tyranny! Every day of delay puts Your Highness in even greater danger!"
John Deere spoke coldly, his tone so rational that it seemed as if there were no emotional fluctuations.
"That's right! Are you free tonight?"
"Why does your Majesty ask this question?"
"Alfonso said he wanted to speak to you alone."
Xiao Yun sighed. "Karusha's army will arrive in Gaola tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. There will be a lot of things you need to deal with then...especially the coordination of the grassland coalition, the coastal coalition, the dense forest coalition composed of the Sioux and Semitic peoples, and so on...so I thought, if you are free tonight..."
"I was just thinking of catching up with Alfonso."
After saying this, John Deere calmly walked out of the room.
…
…
Boom! Boom! Boom!
After three knocks, John Deere pushed open the half-open door.
"Alfonso—"
Hearing this, Alfonso, who was sitting by the window drinking, turned around and looked at his old friend in surprise.
When he found that the other party was looking at him calmly as usual, a smile gradually appeared on the corner of his mouth: "What would you like to drink?"
"Anything."
John Deere walked into the room and sat down across from Alfonso. “Come to think of it, it’s been a while since we last met.”
"Yes, the last time we met, your eyes were as innocent as a girl's."
“…”
Because of this sentence, John Deere showed a rare hesitation, as if he didn't know how to answer.
"It doesn't matter. What happened in the past is in the past."
Alfonso patted his best friend's shoulder and spoke with childlike sincerity, "I am now the Regent of Baracanha, honored by the title of His Majesty, and will soon be officially crowned king. You have also become a world-renowned scholar, and one day you may even be appointed Prime Minister and receive a noble title! I'm truly glad I left all my money to you. It was the best decision I've ever made! Second only to accepting His Highness's ring!"
"Alfonso, I..."
John Deere hesitated again. "I'm sorry. I originally... I had planned to come and assist you after completing my studies and gaining some experience in internal affairs management... But now..."
He lowered his head, not daring to look at Alfonso's face.
Seeing this, Alfonso couldn't help laughing: "So this is why you're hesitant to speak."
"you--"
"You were my first friend, and the first person who made me realize I could protect others like an adult. Over the past few years, no matter what I do, I think of you, especially when I became the regent father of Barakhania and was forced to face a pile of boring documents and lawsuits every day. I always think of the years when I ran around the port with you, learned to write from you, and you called me a fool - of course, I can now read and write fluently."
"Alfonso..."
Alfonso's words brought back good memories for John Deere, and a smile appeared on his face unconsciously, with his eyes shining.
Seeing John Deere smile, Alfonso felt much more relaxed.
"John, I really want you to stay with me, but if you stay with me just to thank me, I will be disappointed."
"Why?"
"Because you are more important to me than my own family. I hope you can do what you love, and not be swayed by favors and moral obligations into doing things you don't like. With your abilities and personality, even if it's a job you don't like, you can still do it flawlessly, without a single flaw."
"Alfonso, I..."
John Deere's eyes moistened.
"So, if you're not staying with me because you love me, even if you pretend to be happy every day, you won't be truly happy inside. And whether or not I can detect your true feelings in time, I've already hurt you. This is something I, who consider you a family member, absolutely cannot tolerate!"
"you mean--"
"You're free to go wherever you want and do whatever you want. Of course, if you want to come to Barakanya, I'd welcome you anytime. You can take any position, even just as a renowned scholar living in seclusion in Barakanya... Barakanya doesn't have anything to offer in the academic field. After the war, I want to build a university. If you could become the president of the university I'm planning, even if it's just an honorary one, it would surely attract a large number of scholars..."
Alfonso became more and more excited as he spoke, his eyes sparkling.
"This coalition presents a great opportunity for me. Although I've become the regent father of Barakhania, there are still a large number of old nobles who refuse to step down, including our hometown of Milos. Several external forces are still unwilling to recognize me, a bastard of low birth. However, if I can lead the army to victory in this war, my power will be consolidated. Of course, if we unfortunately lose the war, I won't have to return home and face the end of my country. After all, this is a large-scale war that involves every country in the Western Continent. If we lose, everyone will be doomed."
"...Alfonso, you're a little too excited."
John Deere said nostalgically, "It reminds me of when we were little, you and I ran up the hill, and you pointed to the castle in the distance and said you wanted to live in it someday! You wanted to be greater than Grand Duke Milos!"
"You actually still remember this..."
"But I never imagined back then that you would grow up to be someone Grand Duke Milos would look up to."
John Deere said sadly, "Alfonso, I can't go to Baracanha to assist you, but - anytime, as long as you need me, I will rush to your side, share your happiness as a friend, listen to your troubles, and comfort your depression."
"Really?."
John Deere nodded affirmatively.
This action made Alfonso lower his head again, muttering softly, "Perhaps it's a good thing that you can't come to Barakanya to assist me. Once you accept my position, we will no longer be pure friends... The king is lonely and not free. The king needs a pure friend without any conflicts of interest... And you, you must become my eternal relative and pure friend..."
"Alfonso..."
John Deere said emotionally: "No matter what time, we are best friends, relatives without blood ties."
"Um."
…
…
In the evening, the grassland coalition led by Kairusha arrived at the Gaola border.
Xiao Yun led the Maga Knights to greet them in person.
Facing Xiao Yun and the knights behind him wearing gorgeous silver armor, the grassland warriors, who not only had colorful flags but also wore fancy clothes, stepped forward generously and saluted Xiao Yun in the grassland style.
"His Highness Kairusha has been waiting for His Majesty Aura I for a long time."
"Please lead the way."
"Need not!"
With a voice as loud and rough as a bell, Kairusha, dressed in black, appeared in front of Xiao Yun riding a black horse.
"Your Highness Kairusha."
Everyone bowed their heads in greeting.
Kairusha's black eyes stared straight at Xiao Yun: "Long time no see, you have matured and become a real man."
"Teacher Kairusha..."
Xiao Yun felt a lump in his throat.
For Yaris and him, Kairusha ventured into the Death Desert and contracted radiation sickness that could not be cured by current technology. He then voluntarily gave up the throne of Crown Prince of Monglis, ignored the threat of permanent exile by the Monglis royal family, and summoned the coalition of grassland tribes to go south to support them.
"I just praised you for growing into a real man, why are your eyes red like a woman again?"
Kairusha frowned, spurred his horse to Xiao Yun's side, and patted him firmly on the shoulder. "I'm a man of my word, and I'll definitely do what I promised! So, even if I die on the battlefield tomorrow, you don't have to feel guilty about it, and don't feel like you owe me anything! Being able to die on the battlefield is the greatest pride for a grassland man!"
“…”
Xiao Yun didn't know how to answer for a moment.
Seeing this, John Deere reminded: "Your Highness Kairusha has come from afar, so you can't stay here forever."
"You're absolutely right!"
Xiao Yun took the opportunity to invite Kairusha to go with him to the border castle to attend a welcome banquet and hold a military meeting. The grassland coalition soldiers he brought were handed over to the welcoming group composed of Sioux and Semitic warriors for reception.
——Life on the grassland is difficult, and the tribal warriors who joined the grassland coalition naturally worship the strong. The moment they saw the Sioux warriors with battle patterns on their faces and a fierce temperament, and the Shem warriors who were more than two meters tall and had necks thicker than their waists, their eyes suddenly became extremely eager.
…
After a simple meal of barbecue and wine, Kairusha took the initiative to greet Alfonso: "The famous 'White Devil' is so young."
"I never thought that even with a terminal illness, the 'Prairie Black Eagle' still possessed eyes sharper than an eagle's."
"Because life is about to end, it must burn more fiercely."
Kairusha said calmly, his eyes fixed on Marina, "Hey, are you still considering being my wife?"
"certainly."
Marina chuckled: "No matter when, as long as you ask me to marry you, I will marry you."
"But you didn't—"
"Then was the then, and now is the now."
Marina smiled brightly: "His Highness has found his happiness, and I can now think about my future."
"I see."
Kairusha laughed.
At this time, outside the window came the fierce sounds of the soldiers of the grassland coalition and the Semitic and Sioux warriors who were responsible for receiving them, arm in arm, drinking and wrestling in the courtyard of the castle.
"It's really lively outside."
Kairusha narrowed his eyes nostalgically. "If I were still as healthy as I was, I would have sat among them and drunk and played with them until dawn."
"I'll find a way to heal you."
"Forget it! Even the 'Sage of Death' who lived for a thousand years couldn't cure it! Let's just live as long as we can!"
As he spoke, Kairusha cut a thick slice from the sizzling jungle rat barbecue and chewed it with big mouthfuls, saying, "It smells so good! So delicious! You guys eat more too!"
"Well--"
Marina wants to remind Kairusha to pay attention to his image.
Xiao Yun also smiled as he cut a large piece of roasted meat from the giant jungle rat: "It smells so good!"
…
The barbecue dinner ended and the military meeting officially began.
The first thing to do is naturally to introduce the number of troops, formations, and equipment that each country brought.
"Because of a falling out with my brother, I brought with me 10,000 warriors from the grassland tribal alliance who had received no systematic military training. They are only suited to scouts, vanguards, and flank assaults in encirclement tactics, but are incapable of being deployed in neat formations on a traditional battlefield."
Kairusha was blunt: "But they can break up into smaller groups at any time and sneak into enemy territory without making a sound. They are also good at hunting and can provide their own food for the march."
"Thank you very much for your generous support, Your Highness Kairusha. Now, let me introduce you all."
John Deere stood up and gave his lecture in an orderly manner.
"When His Majesty Alfonso set out, the Coastal Alliance had not yet issued a joint declaration. Therefore, he only brought 3,000 elite cavalry. After arriving in Maga, he assigned 1,000 cavalry to join the troops of Duke Alfred's two nephews and the Maga Volunteers led by Lord Michael to defend Maga City."
"Five days ago, the Coastal Alliance officially announced its support for the Holy Sun Empire. The first batch of twenty ships will arrive in Gaola tomorrow, bringing one thousand soldiers and various supplies. Ground forces will cross the border into the southern region of the empire to consolidate military operations in the southern plains centered on Maga."
"Queen Isabel of Brania's army has formed an alliance with the Dalavian army and marched south to the Capital of Light. After securing the Holy City of Denos, located north of the capital, the coalition halted its advance and awaited our arrival."
"Volunteers organized by people from all over the country are arriving one after another... Personally, I believe that these volunteers cannot constitute an effective combat force and may even burden the army's logistics. However, this person can use his momentum to force more local lords to support us, especially those lords along our marching route."
“…”
John Deere's words made everyone present feel that the road ahead would be smooth.
At this time——
Kairusha stood up and said, "A reminder: although we have the unanimous support of the people, we still need to be cautious on the battlefield, because our enemies are equally powerful."
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