The Shadow of the Crown of Snow [Western Fantasy]

Raymond originally arranged for Hecate to have the brightest room in the entire castle.It is said that there is enough light, but it is just the view of the Northlanders. It is like Selene's room, where you can see the sunrise and enjoy a moment of sunshine on a clear day. There isn't much of a difference elsewhere either.

If it wasn't for Hecate who was still aware of the huge gap between Frost City and Yoda City, she would really think that the people of Frost City were deliberately making things difficult for her.

She didn't have any luggage, and she didn't pay much attention to it. It was reasonable to say that she could move in immediately after cleaning. However, considering Hecate's special status, Raymond asked her to wait at the door for a while before asking Selene for instructions.

During her journey from the Frontier to Frostcover, Hecate envisioned much of the life she would have in Frostcover.She thought that for a period of time, the only person she could trust in the entire Frosted City was Selene. At least Selene didn't need to harm her—if Hecate was not wanted to survive, she could just leave her in the She was left to fend for herself on the border. Since it took a lot of trouble to bring her back, she must be hoping that she would live.

After coming here, she found that there was one more person she could trust, and that was Raymond, Selene's mentor and Prime Minister of the Nord Kingdom.

From the outside, Raymond was a typical Northlander.His body is not bent or weakened due to old age, but he still retains part of his tall and strong youth, with a clean and tidy white beard of moderate length. He was probably a soldier fighting on the front line decades ago, and he can see from the edge of his sleeves. See his bruised arm.

Raymond is a child of an ordinary family in Frost City. After growing up, he joined the army. He was born and died all year round in the most ravaged area of ​​half-orcs. He was awarded a title for his military exploits and was absorbed into the Nord court from the battlefield. The former king Roy has always regarded him as a confidant and trusted his ability. While Roy stabilized his rule step by step, Raymond also changed from an ordinary courtier to the prime minister of the kingdom.

After Selene became sensible, Roy even handed over the important task of teaching Selene to Raymond.The monarch has an order, and the loyal Raymond naturally strictly enforces it. He almost imparts everything he has learned all his life. Even Selene, who is perverse, always respectfully calls Raymond "teacher".

If the protons had not been exchanged between Nord and Nagrand after a peace agreement was reached, this reliable predecessor would probably have been Hecate's teacher.

For Hecate, her reasons for trusting Raymond weren't that complicated.It's just that she can feel intuitively that in the entire court, the person Selene trusts the most is Raymond.

She leaned against the doorway and waited for Raymond to bring back Selene's answer.

"His Majesty Hecate's room, can it be arranged like this?" Raymond put the paper with the layout of the castle's rooms on Selene's desk, and pointed out the location of the room he arranged, "If there is no problem, I'll have someone clean it up for her."

Selene took the blueprint and glanced at it, always feeling like she missed something, she frowned and thought for a long time but couldn't think of it, so she nodded for the time being and let Raymond arrange it like this.

After Raymond bowed and saluted, Selene was stunned for a while with her mouth half open, and hurriedly knocked on the table, calling to Raymond who was about to leave the study: "Teacher? Hecate can live in his own room. "

The two looked at each other for a while, and then Raymond patted his forehead suddenly, Selene jumped up from the chair excitedly, ran over to find the position of her room on the drawing, and then moved her finger a little to the side : "Teacher, you should still remember?"

"Of course I remember, it's right next to your room, Your Majesty." Raymond smiled and stared at the drawing in his hand, his tone full of nostalgia, "At that time, we always had to step up patrols in the corridor, so as not to find you reappearing after waking up in the morning In the same room."

"It's strange to say that I was only a little over four years old at that time." Selene returned to the desk and sat down, picked up a pen and sighed softly, "But a four-year-old child can already remember many things clearly, A three-year-old's memory is much blurrier."

"Your Majesty, when it comes to this, I have to ask you a question." Raymond folded the blueprint in his hand and put it back in his coat pocket, "Your attitude towards her... No, to be precise, my attitude towards her is How should it be?"

Selene focused on the document in her hand, and did not put down the quill until she finished writing the last line, raised her head and answered Raymond solemnly: "No. I know it will be difficult, but I hope you are The first person to let go of her prejudices, completely, pretending that she has never lived in Nagrand, pretending that she has always been by our side, on this basis... give her certain preferential treatment. Teacher, I believe that as long as you Doing so will speed up the speed of dispelling everyone's doubts."

"I'll do it." Raymond bowed again, turned and walked out of the study.

Selene, who was sitting alone in the study, looked at the desk full of documents but kept neat, and felt annoyed for no reason.She pushed the quill and paper aside casually, suddenly wanting to meet Hecate.

Yes, this is a very normal thought. The sisters have been separated for 15 years, and it has not been long since they reunited, and they have saved a lot of things to say.And Hecate is a very safe person, except for a disagreement that will cause her to draw a knife, there is no danger in talking to her.

Selene feels a little guilty for her own mentality. She knows the real reason why she wants to see Hecate. To some extent, this sister is like an insignificant pet in the Nord court, and has no interest in anyone. relationship, but will be looked at differently by everyone.This mild and harmless privileged class can make Selene get along with it at ease, like—like teasing a small yard pet.

Life detection not only helps users explore the life around them, but also allows them to clearly identify the breath of life.Selene doesn't have many divine spells that she can use in daily life, and life detection is a very common one, so she can accurately distinguish the breath of everyone in the castle and find their location when needed.

When Hecate didn't restrain his breath, the life detection was still effective for her. Following the guidance of the magic spell, Selene walked towards the royal cemetery in the back mountain. After thinking for a while, she stopped and turned towards The kitchen where dinner is being prepared.

Hecate finally found the tombstone of his mother, which was erected 18 years ago, shortly after his birth, by virtue of a little vague memory.The handwriting on the tombstone has been blurred due to weathering, and the name and date of birth and death can only be barely recognized, and the biographical introductions carved in smaller characters are completely unclear.

People in the North have no tradition of caring about the dead. Even in the royal family, there is only a routine worship every year, which lasts for a short period of three to five years. It is not surprising that the tombstone that has been left untouched for more than ten years has become like this, but Hecate After all, he grew up in the faith-rich Nagrand Empire. He was very dissatisfied and wiped off the snowflakes and dead branches on the tombstone for his mother, pulled out the crescent blade, and gently touched the stone tablet with the tip of the knife to erase the weathered and blurred small characters. Deepen again.

It is not too difficult to deepen such a narrow incision directly with the blade, with Hecate's arm strength and the sharpness of the crescent blade, but in the eyes of others, this is incredible strength and skill.

"who are you?"

"Joshua. The prince who was exchanged with you by the Nagrand Empire is in a similar situation to you."

"...Didn't you come to the Nord Kingdom when you were ten years old?"

"Whether it's three years old or ten years old, there is no big difference." Joshua pointed to his face, "On the surface, I am a pure-blooded Nagrand, but this is not the case. I can’t change my situation. The Nagrand Empire is destined not to accept me. If I go back or not, I will be a traitor in their eyes. It’s better to stay here—after all, I’m familiar with this place.”

Hecate finally looked away from the tombstone and looked up at the man who was seven years his senior but in a similar situation.She carved the last few words with all her strength, got up and took back the crescent blade, and continued to search for her father's tombstone.

"There." Joshua stretched out his finger to give her the position.

Hecate walked over and sat down in front of the tombstone, gently brushing off the snowflakes: "I never thought that even my father would be lost when I came back."

Three years ago, even in Joda City, Hecate heard the news that King Roy of Nord was critically ill.When she heard the news from the street, she stood stiffly in place for a long time, and finally realized that the person who was rumored to be dying was her father.

And she couldn't do anything, she could only listen to the rumors being confirmed bit by bit, and finally Hussein, who had never spoken a word to her, came to her in person and informed her of her father's death.

"Everyone felt incredible when he died. But Selene told me that like a curse on the family, the kings of the Nord Kingdom are very short-lived. They always lead the country with amazing momentum, And then die in the fullest splendor. Maybe it's just empty words, but I..."

"Hecate! Joshua!" Selene's voice came from a distance, and the smell of food wafted towards them from the same position.

Joshua stared at the slowly approaching figure in the snow, and said in a low voice, "But I sincerely hope she can live longer."

Selene carried a small dining basket, opened the lid with a proud and ostentatious look, and showed Joshua and Hecate what was inside.

Hecate looked over his head, took a ring-shaped dessert unceremoniously, swallowed it in two bites, and licked his lips with insatiable desire: "Authentic Nagrand flavor."

"No wonder I taste a little weird." Joshua shook his head with a wry smile, and took small bites of his share.

On the contrary, Selene was uncharacteristically, and licked the frosting on her fingers contentedly after eating the donut: "Is it true? It turns out that people from the Northland and Nagrand even have different views on food."

"Obviously they are two adjacent countries, but the difference is so great that they seem to be separated by an entire continent." Joshua nodded. "This is probably the reason for the constant disputes between the two countries."

"...Can you give me the one in your hand?" Hecate stared at the last donut in Selene's hand and swallowed.