caged robin

The Duke was still standing there, no different from the previous posture.

Abner twitched the corner of his mouth, and nudged Oreas with his elbow, "Hurry up."

Oreas raised his hand, and it was noon.

The sun was strong and lazy, making the stream crystal clear, and the air was filled with the mixed aroma of soil and plants.The Duke sat in the shade, carefully oiling his harp.

Abner walked back and forth in this small place boredly, running and jumping, and was reminded by Oreas from time to time not to go too far, and finally he couldn't bear it anymore, "Oreas, I Can you go swimming in the river? Just for a while." As he spoke, he had already untied his vest.

Oreas narrowed his eyes, "No."

"Ah—oh kings, I'm so bored." Abner hugged his head and looked up to the sky with a long sigh.

"Be patient a little longer."

"We're here for an arm wrestling competition... No way!" Abner wanted to slap himself. He used to play arm wrestling with Sean when he was bored.

Oreas smiled.

Abner snorted softly, thinking about various activities in his mind, but almost none of them could be implemented.

"Let's sing." Abner smiled.

Oreas had a hard face, "No."

Abner raised his eyebrows, "Come on, it doesn't matter if you don't sing or whistle, I will imitate the sound of birdsong."

Oreas looked at him with great interest, and Abner opened his lips lightly, followed by crisp birdsong, first a light chant, then a gradually brisk and high-pitched cry, followed by the two birds singing in unison, Gradually it became three, four... Finally, the birds sang in harmony.

Aureas' eyes changed from slight surprise at the beginning, gradually to deep fascination, and finally even suppressed a strong emotion in his eyes.

"How is it? Great? This is my specialty. I play it every time I play the robin in the circus, and everyone is very enthusiastic every time."

"How long have you been performing?"

"About three years, the first time he came to power shortly before the death of Duke Margery."

"Three years." Oreas' eyes sank, and then he embraced Abner's shoulder, his big hand was quite strong.

Abner glanced at Oreas' arm, and the veins on it were slightly bulging.

"Why, do you want to watch it too? I just performed once a while ago, but something happened and my father watched it too much. When the ghosts are finished, I want to perform again, and then I will take you to see it." Abner continued, "However, the number of performances will gradually decrease in the future. The image of the robin is originally a child, and I am no longer suitable."

"You can dance as long as you want."

"Then everyone might hit me with candlelight."

Oreas narrowed his eyes, "They dare not."

"Okay, when the time comes, you cover, and I'll collect the money."

"..."

"Hey - I've already blown the bird whistle, you sing a song."

"..."

"Don't you have any nursery rhymes to coax children? Hey, don't raise your hands, don't deny it, if it doesn't work, you can whistle? Hey, snap your fingers is fine—"

The moonlight is pouring, and the dark night sky is full of stars, reflecting on the dark sea, which is the second starry sky.

Without the scorching sun, Abner calmed down and stopped pestering Aureas to sing.The Duke was still waiting for Adrian alone with his harp in his arms.

"Maybe Adrian will come back tomorrow." Abner sighed.

"No, if he doesn't come back tonight, he won't come back forever." Oreas looked at the palm of his hand and continued, "This is the last memory."

Abner was taken aback, and a disturbing premonition made him look at the tall and thin back of the Duke again.Most likely he won't be able to come back, otherwise why the duke's undead is always calling Adrian's name sadly, he thought.

Suddenly, rustling sounds came from behind, the sound was slow and deep, like a snake that swallowed a whole pheasant, slowly dragging its heavy body to the ground.As soon as Abner turned around, Oreas covered his eyes and hugged him by the waist.

"Don't look."

"What's that?" Abner caught a glimpse of a corner in an instant, but that corner took root deeply in his mind: a huge monster with mottled hair, no claws, only two long, There was a bright red part on the front of the furry long arm, he didn't know if it could be called the monster's head.

"It's nothing, just don't look at it." Aureas said in a low voice, but Abner could hear that Aureas' breathing was slightly heavier.

Abner's vision was pitch black, but his hearing was exceptionally sensitive.

"Ah—" This is the exclamation of the Duke.

Then there was the sound of chaotic footsteps, clothes rubbing, and a strange whining sound.

"Let go, monster! Get off me!" Suddenly, there was a special scream when a good sword was unsheathed, followed by several squeaks when the sword pierced into flesh and blood.

"This is Adrian's harp, you can't get it!" There was another sharp squeak, accompanied by the sound of blood splashing and heavy objects rolling on the grass.

Abner's hand trembled, and finally in the quiet night, only the sound of the waves and the Duke's heavy breathing remained.

"Oreas, let me go." Abner said.

"Wait a minute."

Abner heard the rustling sound of heavy objects rubbing against the ground, followed by the sound of splashing water.

Orreas let go of his hand.

Abner saw that the spray had not dissipated, and the corpse of the monster was immersed in the dark stream.No trace of blood could be seen on the grass in the dark night. The Duke's hand holding the sword was shaking violently, and the coldly shining sword was not stained with a single drop of blood.This might be the first time the pampered duke saw a dead body with his sword, Abner thought.

"Plop", the Duke knelt on the ground, his pale face was illuminated by the moonlight, and he tremblingly picked up the harp.

"Adrien...why haven't you come back..." His voice was trembling, his whole body was trembling, and the strings were trembling.

The Breathless Sea is slowly dissipating, the Cloud and Blood Desolation is slowly dissipating, and finally the figure of the Duke is also dissipating.

Everything was dissipating, and Abner and Oreas returned to the spiritual barrier shrouded in gray smoke, and the sad and desperate face of the Duke, as well as the mournful cry: "Adrien... ...why haven't you come back..."

"Are we going to find Adrian for the Duke?" Abner asked.

"I'm afraid so."

"It's been three years, it's really confusing," Abner sighed, and whispered, "It would be great if I could still enter the white world, but where can I find someone who clearly remembers the three years?" What was he doing, what did he see, and where was he standing one day ago? Others must think that there is something wrong with my brain."

Oreas rubbed his hair, "Don't think about it, I know someone who can help."

"Really? I thought you came here alone, ah no, you came here with countless ghosts, so there are still friends. Let me ask you first, isn't it the kind that floats around?"

Oreas glanced at him, "No."

"what is it call?"

Oreas paused for a while, "Cub."

"What the hell kind of name is this?" Abner was puzzled.

"It was taken by someone else after arriving here."

"..."

Abner asked: "Can you also become a leopard?"

"No."

"Oh, I thought everyone in your place could change."

"He can become Costin."

"!!" Abner's eyes lit up.

Oreas stretched out his hand, "Give me the dagger."

Oreas took two steps back, poked his hand into the smoke, and swiped hard, a bright light appeared in front of them.

"You guys came out so soon? What's going on inside?" Wens was still busy fighting with the undead, but he was very restrained. Sometimes he looked like a bad knight, and sometimes he was in line with the demeanor that a knight commander in swords should have.

"Yes, we're done, call it a day, let's go." Abner passed by Wen Si, glanced at him, and continued to walk forward.

"What?! Damn...Damn..." Abner could only hear a few hasty complaints from behind, and Wens and Keener hurried to catch up.

"Where are the undead?" Abner looked back, and the undead disappeared.

"Back to the spiritual barrier."

"really……"

"What?" Wins put the sword back into its scabbard.

"The undead didn't want to attack us, we just invaded its territory."

"..."

"I probably know the reason why the undead have been wandering here."

"what?"

Abner and Oreas looked at each other, "He has been waiting here for a person, even if he dies, his soul will not be able to rest in peace, the undead came to this place to continue waiting, and then happened to be turned into a ghost by that black flower. Spiritual barrier. Now we need to find this person to let the duke's soul rest in peace."

Wen Si scratched his head, "Which girl makes the Duke so affectionate?"

"Adrien."

Wen Si was taken aback, "So it's the person the undead have been talking about. It doesn't sound like a girl's name."

Abner raised his eyebrows, "It's a man."

The corner of Wen Si's mouth twitched, and he looked at Abner curiously, feeling that the young master blessed by the kings looked very calm, "I thought you would be shocked."

Abu Nanu pursed his lips, "It's no shock, but... I'm just a little curious about the two men..."

"Stop it, I don't understand either." Wins saw Oreas behind Abner with terribly deep eyes, and quickly walked to the side.

A few people walked back, and not long after they walked, they met Rich who was carrying the comatose Tommen and panting here. After learning that it was over, he hung his head and carried Tommen back panting. , complaining that cowards should not be brought here.

The six of them sat back on the boat, and the sun was setting in the west.

"Where can we find this man who the Duke never forgets?" Wen Si sighed, he didn't even know what Adrian looked like.

Abner thought about it, and said, "Leave this to me and Oreas. You are responsible for inviting the priest of the fire spirit, and there are not many murder cases piled up in your place. Check it first."

Vince nodded.

When he was about to reach the shore, Abner asked Shilu: "Do you know the deceased Nero? Duke Margeri?"

Xilu was stunned: "D-of course I know, I know, he, he is a, good, good person, if not, he is not dead..."

Xilu stopped, not daring to speak any more.

Abner patted him on the shoulder, "Okay, I see."

When the group returned to the Silver Tower, Algernon stood at the door with a straight face to greet him. He saw his cousin Rich carrying a corpse-like man with a dejected face, "Rich, what's wrong with you?"

"Don't mention it, Bai did a hard job and arranged a bed for this young man. I guess he won't be able to leave today. If he wakes up, give him some strong alcohol to calm him down."

"What's up with him?"

"Damn it," Ricky said, carrying Tommen into the Silver Tower.

Abner walked forward and greeted Algernon, "My lord, do you know the late Duke Nero Margeri?"

Algernon said expressionlessly: "The Duke lived here for a while before his death."

"When exactly did it start?"

Algernon snorted softly, as if displeased to be questioned by a young nobleman.

Another "Monferrato", Abner rolled his eyes inwardly.

"The 'Dragon Returns to the Sun' three years ago." Algernon affirmed.

It seems that remembering things is still reliable, Abner thought.

Dragon Hui Day is the seventh and last day of the Holy Dragon Festival.It is said that on this day human beings were abandoned by gods, and the red dragon rescued human beings from the sea of ​​fire. Human beings began to rebuild their homes from this day onwards. To commemorate the return of Chilong, and named it "Dragon Huiri".

"Is there anything unusual about the Duke before that?" Abner asked. Everyone knew that the Duke drank heavily after living in the White Gull Tower.

"The day before the dragon returned to the sun, the Duke stayed on the cloud and blood waste all day. When we found him, he was covered in blood. He looked very embarrassed and unconscious. He was holding a harp in his arms. We took it to death. not come down."

"Is the Duke still saying the name 'Adrien' all the time?"

"If that name is 'Adrien,' yes."

"Do you know who Adrian is?"

Algernon glanced at Abner impatiently, "I don't know it, if you don't tell me it's a person's name, I would have thought it was a place name or a pet."

Abner shrugged, "Did the Duke live here in the six months from the day he woke up to the time he died? For example, he went back to Doron Palace, went shopping in the city, etc."

"My lords, it would be great if the Duke went to those places. Apart from drinking here, he would go to the Cloud and Blood Desolation. We had to remove all the ships here. We keep an eye on him every day, even so..." Al Janon looked apologetic.

Even so, the Duke was found dead, and he was found in a large wine barrel in the warehouse, with his pale face floating on the surface, an unseemly death.Without Algernon going on, Abner also knew the Duke's ending.