A Tale of Strategies For the Throne

The splashing waterfall casts a layer of mist like a gauze.

The clear water on the rocks is shallow to the top of the feet.

The white deer and the boy stood in the water.

The white deer lowered its head gently, and the young man raised his hand to hold its head.

It rubbed the boy's cheek affectionately and tenderly again, then turned around, and lightly jumped onto the high rock where the waterfall flowed.

The white deer standing on the waterfall looked back, its eyes were like black pearls soaked in water, clearly reflecting the boy's figure.

After taking one last look at Garlan, it quickly ran towards the jungle not far away.

Its running figure is so light and graceful.

Then, the white figure disappeared in the depths of the emerald green jungle, before everyone's eyes.

When the white deer appeared, time seemed to stop at that moment.

That indescribably beautiful, elf-like figure seemed to make everything stand still.

Until the white deer disappeared in the depths of the jungle, everyone came to their senses as if they had just woken up from a big dream.

"Is that...a deer?"

"No, that's right, a white deer!"

"What a beautiful deer..."

"I don't think I've seen it before?"

"Yes, although there are many deer in this mountain, this is the first time I have seen a white deer."

"I've never seen such a beautiful deer—"

"Yeah, yeah, I don't know why I didn't dare to take a breath when I saw it."

Everyone talked a lot, talking non-stop with an unexplainable but excited mood.

"Speaking of... the white holy beast... I always feel like I've heard it somewhere."

"Ah, me too. It seems that there is such a sentence in the poems my grandfather used to coax me when I was young."

Only some old people still remember the old ballad of Mount Twiller, and few young people know it. However, almost all the people who went up the mountain to dig ditches this time were young and strong, so naturally they couldn't remember it for a while.

Later, when those who had seen the white deer went home and shared what they saw with their friends and relatives, they soon learned about this ancient poem from the elders at home.

For a while, the ancient songs that had been almost forgotten were once again sung in the city of Twillur.

It was not until a long time later that they realized that the young man who had been given the laurel branch by the white deer was their prince.

Still later, a bard wrote a poem based on the incident, and the moving poem was sung. It described the young prince of Aaron Landis, who was guided by the white sacred beast, and rescued Tetra from the flood. The story of Viruor City.

This poem, along with the old ballad of the Twiller Mountain legend, has been handed down from generation to generation in the city of Twiller ever since.

And thousands of years later, archaeologists of later generations found these two ballads with blurred handwriting on the broken stone tablet excavated from this ancient city...

…………

........................

Under the urging of the soldiers, the people who were still excitedly talking about the beautiful white deer began to descend the mountain one after another. They also couldn't wait to return to their safe home and reunite with their relatives.

Soon, there were only a few people left beside the waterfall on the top of the mountain that was crowded with people not long ago.

On one side were Garlan and Shuros, and on the other side were the Lord Canile and his staff, as well as dozens of confidant guards.

For the safety of Prince Garlan, the city lord did not intend to reveal Garlan's identity.

He walked to Garlan's side, and his eyes first fell on Garlan's hands.

The laurel branch in the young prince's hand was so green that it looked as if it had been carved from emerald.

The old city lord looked at the laurel branch and frowned deeply.

In Aaron Landis, the laurel tree has a special meaning.

According to legend, the sun god Shamash was born under the laurel tree. Therefore, Shamash usually only wears a crown made of laurel leaves.

Only the king of Aaron Landis can wear a crown or ornaments carved into the shape of laurel leaves.

For others, they can only wear olive leaf-shaped crowns or ornaments similar to laurel leaves.

But why did that inconceivable white deer that suddenly appeared from the mountain give this laurel branch to...Prince Garlan?

What does this indicate?

Or is the legend in the poem about Maghe, the god of the earth, really existing?

That white holy beast...

"Master Canile."

The whispered reminder from the staff around him brought the pensive Santo Kanile back to his senses.

He looked down, and the boy in front of him also raised his head to look at him.

Those golden pupils, when viewed closely, even the edge of the iris is a pure golden halo.

Just as he was staring into Garlan's eyes, suddenly, Shuros, who was standing beside him, took a step forward and raised his left arm to block Garlan's body.

"I am the mastermind."

Schloss said in a low voice.

"The plan to hijack that nobleman was proposed by me. He was still young, a child, and he was only coaxed by me to follow my request."

"Sullos..."

"Gal, don't talk!"

Suddenly interrupting Garlan who was about to say something, Schulos turned his head and continued to stare at the city lord, and said quickly, "Children are ignorant, if you want to ask a crime, just come to me."

Schulos suddenly stood up and took all the responsibility on himself, which stunned everyone present.

Then, the staff standing aside couldn't help lowering their heads and pursing their lips into a smile.

And the Lord Canile just glanced at this rude guy lightly, and then ignored Shuros.

He looked at Garlan again, raised his right hand to his chest, bent slightly, bowed his head to salute Garlan.

He said: "Nice to meet, Your Highness Prince Garlan, I am the lord of the city of Twill, Kanile."

Although he had seen Prince Garlan from a distance when he went to the royal city to report on his duties before, it was the first time that he had met face to face.

A certain bard who stood firmly in front of Garlan was stunned for a moment.

"……what?"

Schloss was stunned.

prince?

... what prince?

What prince?

Is this city lord too old and out of his mind?How dare you call them His Royal Highness?

The prince is Garlan, not Gal.

……… He must be too old, suddenly stimulated, and his brain went wrong.

Yes, yes, it must be so.

Just when Schulos was convincing himself in his heart, a hand reached out and patted his arm in front of him.

"Don't stop."

Garland said.

"it's me."

He patted Schulos' arm and pressed it down hard so that it would not stop in front of him.

"He's calling me," he said.

He looked at the bard who had already become stupid, and repeated again: "I am Prince Garlan."

[Don't worry, I'm a prince, and I'll protect you. 】

【I am. 】

At this moment, the bard's brain exploded with a bang.

Gal.

Prince Garlan.

No!He must be dreaming!

And it's still a nightmare!

Think about what he's been up to these days—

When I thought the prince was a girl, I started to tease the prince.

After knowing the gender, he kept using the young master to mock him.

Also from time to time to touch the prince.

His right hand doesn't know how many times he has rubbed the noble head of the prince... Goddess Avdomyr... Your most handsome disciple is about to be chopped off!

And, worst of all...

【Tsk, if you are a prince, then I will be King Kamos. 】

Fuck!Why is my mouth so cheap why——

Roaring in his heart, the bard turned around decisively, wishing he could slap himself a few times and make his mouth swell.

If you don't run away now, are you waiting to be beheaded?

However, Schulos, who was in a hurry to escape, just took a step.

The young man behind him seemed to have seen through his thoughts, and reached out from behind to grab his shoulder.

"Where are you going?"

Garlan asked with a smile.

"I... that... urgent, find a place to solve it..."

"Oh."

Garlan let go.

Schulos breathed a sigh of relief, and got ready to run away.

However, just after taking another step, the boy's voice, which seemed to be talking to himself, entered his ears from behind.

"I'm planning to return that bow to you when I go back..."

The second step he was about to take froze in mid-air, and Schulos couldn't move.

That bow was of great significance to him, and he had also told Garlan that it was a gift from the mentor who raised him and taught him archery before he died.

That was something he absolutely did not want to lose.

Sullos took a deep breath and turned around.

He looked deathly at home.

"Come on, gouging out the eyes first, or cutting out the tongue first? Or chopping off the hands first?"

Gallan: "..."

He raised his foot and kicked Schulos lightly.

"Okay, stop pretending."

He said angrily, "You know I won't do anything to you."

"Really? You won't punish me for offending me?"

The bard's eyes lit up, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Those who don't know are innocent. You don't know my identity, so that's not an offense."

Garlan said amusedly.

"So, stop acting, it will look fake if you act too much."

"Is there? I think it's not bad."

"I don't think you are the kind of guy who will bind your hands and feet after hearing my identity. Moreover, if you are really afraid, you should have knelt down and begged for mercy."

"Uh……"

The two were talking, when suddenly the hoarse voice of the city lord came from the side, interrupting their conversation.

"excuse me."

The Lord Canile stared at Garlan, frowned and said, "Your Highness, what are you doing here without staying in the palace? Also, why don't you even have a bodyguard? Does the king allow you to leave the palace? Ignoring your own safety too much? Besides, there will be a very important ceremony to be held soon, if you leave without authorization, aren't you being too willful?"

Although the city lord is over 50 years old, he is physically strong and speaks in one breath, without stopping in the middle.

Moreover, those words came one after another, with a great sense of oppression, pressing forward step by step.

Coupled with the serious aura unique to the elders brought by the old city lord, Garlan was a little overwhelmed.

"Wait, wait a minute, I know I'm doing something wrong... But, the matter is very complicated, and I can't finish it for a while, why don't we go back to the city first?"

"Understood, Your Highness."

The Lord Canile replied that he did not continue to persecute.

"It's a great honor for you to come to my city, and I will immediately report to King Kamos that you are here."

He paused and looked at Garlan.

"Your Highness, do you have any objections?"

"........."

Garlan paused for a moment, then shook his head lightly.

He said, "No."

The old city lord with a serious face nodded in satisfaction.

Then, a group of people waited to go down the mountain.

The Lord Canile left a few guards and asked them to temporarily station by the waterfall. He decided to let the soldiers go up the mountain in rotation this month to guard the place for a period of time to avoid accidents from happening again.

While walking down the mountain, Garlan and Shuros continued to talk.

"You lied to me for so long, waiting to see my joke, I said, won't your conscience hurt, Your Highness?"

"I told you I was a prince."

"Who would believe what you said—"

"I usually believe it, right? After all, no one dares to say that he is a prince... Ah, there is one who dares to say that he is Kamo..."

"Stop, stop, stop! I was wrong, I admit it, everything is my fault, please don't tell me!"

The two were talking, when suddenly, Garlan paused and stopped abruptly.

Schulos didn't react, and continued to take a step forward before stopping.

He saw Garlan's face at the side. Garlan, who was standing still, had an expression of disbelief at the moment, his golden eyes were wide open, he looked forward in astonishment, and even opened his mouth, as if wanting to He wanted to make a sound, but for some reason he held back.

Shuros subconsciously followed Garlan's line of sight.

Seeing this, he was also taken aback.

A young man stood under a big tree not far away.

It was a stranger he had never met.

It was an extremely striking black-haired youth.

No one can ignore his presence.

Under the black hair like the night, there is an extremely handsome face that is unforgettable at a glance, even a certain bard who has always been narcissistic is ashamed to say that he can match it.

But at a glance, the first thing people noticed was not the handsome face, but the young man's eyes.

The golden-red eyes are full of vigor, with an invisible sharpness, just looking at them can overwhelm everyone.

"He..."

The Lord Canile made a sound and swallowed it back.

He didn't reveal Heymos's identity, but his face was so serious, it could be seen that he was very unhappy now.

What's the matter with these two not staying in the palace well and running around?

Not long ago, I felt that this His Highness was more stable and reliable, and he was more suitable to be the crown prince than Prince Garlan.

Now, the old city lord decided to retract this sentence.

Heymos walked towards Garlan.

His gaze was always on Garlan, as if he completely ignored the existence of other people.

For some reason, Garlan, who had recovered from the shock, felt a little nervous and guilty when he saw Heymos walking towards him.

He swallowed lightly.

He could imagine that Heymos must have been very angry when he left without saying goodbye.

At this moment, seeing Heymos walking towards him and staring at him unblinkingly, Garlan felt an urge to run away.

But, not to mention that the only way down the mountain was blocked by Heymos, even if there were other ways, if he really escaped in front of Heymos...I always feel...his end would be miserable .

Therefore, he could only obediently stand still.

Walking in front of Garlan, Heymos lowered his head, his gaze swept over the boy's face little by little.

It's like a pedestrian who has been thirsty for a long time in the desert has seen the nectar, and has never missed a single bit.

Those eyes were too deep to see the end.

He looked deeply at Garlan, as if he couldn't see anything else in his eyes.

Heymos stretched out his left hand, which he had been holding all along, and spread it before Garlan's eyes.

A green malachite earring lay quietly in the brown palm.

Schulos, who was next to him, saw it at a glance and was taken aback.

"This is the earring that was taken away at that time, why is it here with you?"

Garlan also didn't understand, but he didn't ask any further questions, and just reached out to grab it.However, before touching the earring, the big brown hand stretched out in front of his eyes avoided it.

His fingertips went blank.

He raised his head and looked at Heymos suspiciously.

Heymos glanced at Garlan, raised his right hand to lift the blond hair on Garlan's side cheek, and gently brushed it behind his ear.

Then, he personally put the malachite earring in his hand on Garlan's earlobe again.

A little emerald green is dotted on the white earlobe.

Platinum tassels falling from emerald stones fell on brown fingers.

Heymos lowered his head, staring at the pair of golden eyes that were also staring at him.

Garlan was right here, in front of him.

He can see it, he can touch it.

"Where else do you want to go?"

he asks.

His eyes were originally sharp, but the moment they fell on Garlan's face, the sharp blade turned into soft fingers.

Even that deep voice was full of softness.

He said: "No matter where, I will accompany you."