A Tale of Strategies For the Throne

Calamity of Kanal.

After this incident happened, everyone called this incident like this.

After Aaron Landis captured the King City of Kanal, the Gastads, seeing their defeat was imminent, chose to die together with the Aaron Landis and the Kanals.

They dug up the mountain on the middle of the mountain, causing the originally stable mountain wall to collapse, artificially creating a terrible natural disaster.

When this happened, the whole world was shocked.

The entire continent was shaken, and it made the world feel disgusted and resented by the unscrupulous and insane behavior of the Gastadians.

Other countries instinctively increased their vigilance and defense against the Gastadians.

Even Is and Geshu, who once formed an alliance with the Gastads, are afraid of them. Although they are regarded as barbaric and warlike nations, they will never be so cruel that they will be killed by tens of thousands of people. The degree to which soldiers go to die.

From their point of view, the Gastadians can be so cruel to their own people, how good will they be to themselves who are just allies?

Therefore, when the Gastadians tried to ally with them again many years later, they refused.

And the tragic consequences of this man-made natural disaster are that the commander of Gastard himself and countless Gastard soldiers were buried under the ruins of the palace, and thousands of Aaron Landis soldiers who had no time to escape, as well as the The commander-in-chief of the army, Heymos, all died in the turmoil, plus thousands of Aaron Landis prisoners of war who failed to leave in time, totaling nearly [-] people.

The Kanal White Palace, which had been passed down for countless years and was regarded as a treasure and a symbol of civilization by the Kanal people, was destroyed, causing many people in the world to feel sorry for it.

At the same time, one-third of the Kanal King City was buried under the rocks and became a land of ruins.Because it was early morning and most people stayed in their homes, nearly hundreds of thousands of Kanals were buried alive under the rocks.

Countless relatives and friends were separated from each other overnight.

On that day, the whole city was enveloped by cries of grief.

It takes an extremely long time to build a prosperous and beautiful city, but it only takes a moment to destroy it.

War has never been so cruel.

…………

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

One month after the 'Kanaal disaster'.

Spring has come, and the land is full of singing birds and fragrant flowers, and lush vegetation. At a glance, there are green trees and flowers everywhere, and clear gurgling streams can be seen flowing across the land from time to time.

Along the way, the ordinary scenery in Sid's eyes in the past few decades has become a beautiful scenery for him at this moment.

But there are also some places that make him feel unfamiliar, such as the neat and spacious road under his feet.

It is said that this is the avenue funded and built by King Garlan himself. This avenue will start from the royal city and gradually expand to the whole country.

If it can be done, the whole country will have such a flat and spacious road in the future, then it will be much more convenient for the army to go out in the future, and the marching speed will be much faster.

Sid thought so almost reflexively.

However, even if there is a little strangeness, this is still the land of Aaron Landis.

The familiar sound of wind, water, and air all made him feel warm from the bottom of his heart.

He never dreamed that he could return to this land again.

Yes, like a dream.

However, seeing that he was getting closer to Wangcheng day by day, for some reason, he suddenly became a little apprehensive.

A kind of uneasiness, like worrying about being suddenly awakened from a dream, spread from the bottom of my heart.

The closer it was to the royal city, the more serious this anxiety became.

He wasn't the only one who felt this way, the other companions all became silent during the two days when they were about to arrive in the royal city.

…………

A few days later, the army of Aaron Landis, who had gone out for an expedition, finally returned to the royal city after half a year.

They brought back from Canal more than 2 Aaron Landis soldiers who had been captured by the Gastadians.

It was already noon, and the majestic and majestic royal city was just around the corner.

When everyone looked up, they could see the golden palace in the royal city standing on the high cliff on the coast, bathed in bright sunlight, as if surrounded by white clouds.

Sid was in a daze for a moment.

Among them was the boy king who declared 'never give up on my people' and sent an army to save them from the Gastards.

However, this battle was time-consuming, labor-intensive, and costed countless property. In the final Calamity of Kanal, thousands of soldiers were sacrificed overnight.

Even... the black knight Heymos, the most famous general of Aaron Landis, also died in this battle.

He alone is Aaron Landis' worst loss.

I don’t know how many countries—especially the country of Gaishu, which has been suppressed by Heymos for many years and shudders when it hears the name of the Black Knight, are secretly gloating.

The world said that the black knight Heymos' deterrent power to other countries is almost equal to one hundred thousand troops.

Although this is an exaggeration for the world to praise the name of the Black Knight.

But for the king of any country, it is not cost-effective to exchange such a unparalleled and loyal general for [-] to [-] prisoners of war who do not know whether they will have combat effectiveness in the future.

The king of Aaron Landis did a great stupid thing.

The kings of many countries thought so happily.

Moreover, as a native of Aaron Landis, I also know that Heymos and King Garlan grew up together, and they have saved each other several times. The relationship between them is even better than the real one. Brother.

But this time, because of this war, he lost this existence like a relative.

King Garlan...would he feel annoyed by this?

Perhaps, he now regrets sending someone to save them...

Looking at the familiar city in front of him after almost two years, Sid thought anxiously in his heart.

He looked around at his companions, everyone's faces were full of excitement, but there was also some hesitation.

In the past, very few people returned home as prisoners of war, and they were the first batch.

No one knows how they will be treated.

They were vanquished, captives, once slaves to the Gastadians.

It was also because of them that Master Heymos, who was regarded as a hero by the Aaron Landis, died in Karnal.

……

They have committed so many sins.

It is very likely that they will be despised and treated with contempt because of this, and perhaps, they will get pity and sympathy from others.

They will be labeled as losers for life, nailed to the pillar of shame until death comes.

Sid walked in silence.

The closer he got to Wangcheng, the more confused he became. It was the confusion about his own future.

At this moment, he was even a little afraid to walk into this city that he had dreamed of.

Just as Side and the others were thinking wildly, they had already reached the moat.

Si De looked up subconsciously, and there was a wide moat bridge in front of him.

The moat bridge is a part of the gate of the royal city. When it is erected, it becomes the city gate, and when it is lowered, it becomes the bridge over the moat.

Through the long moat bridge, the huge and majestic city gate is ahead.

This huge city gate is divided into two layers.One layer is big, one layer is small, and one layer is nested.

Usually only the small door is lifted for pedestrians and carriages to enter and exit.

But now, the entire city gate is slowly rising upwards.

Si De understood that this was to welcome the triumphant soldiers.

After the army entered, there would be countless people cheering beside the city avenue.

He's been a part of it in the past.

...And now, he didn't know what was waiting for them who were once captives.

Sid was thinking with a heavy heart, the companions around him were like him, they seemed very silent, and the expressions of excitement not long ago had disappeared from their faces.

At this moment, the army that was supposed to pass through the moat bridge suddenly stopped advancing.

Seeing that the army was not moving, Sid looked up strangely.

In the next second, his pupils shrank violently.

The ancient and heavy stone and iron city gate slowly rose up, and a large group of people and horses came out slowly from the city gate.

The leader is a young boy riding a white horse.

Under the bright sunlight, the young king's beautiful appearance almost made people dare not look up.

He rode his horse forward slowly, and the light-colored cloak behind him flew away in the wind.

Long hair like liquid gold slipped from behind his shoulders.

A crown of lapis lazuli gold crowned that head of bright blond hair.

When he appeared, everyone was silent.

The front coach, Kaihus, took the lead, and the soldiers on horseback got off their horses one after another.

Garlan reined in his horse and stopped in the middle of the moat bridge, and the royal knights in red armor stood solemnly behind him, like a red flame spreading behind him.

Needless to say, at the moment when the young king raised his eyes and glanced over, the army standing in front of the moat bridge knelt down one after another.

One after another, one piece after another.

In just a moment, all the Aaron Landis army, which could not be seen at a glance, bowed down and knelt down.

They bowed their heads deeply.

in the direction where their king is.

"I come to meet my triumphant soldiers."

King Garlan's clear and clear voice resounded in the quiet air.

"and also……"

Garlan's eyes swept across his soldiers, and then landed on a place on the left front side of the army.

There, there was a group of Aaron Landis who didn't wear the armor of Aaron Landis soldiers and looked out of place in the army.

His golden pupils fixedly stared at that place.

At this moment, Sid, who was kneeling on the ground, felt as if his heart was being squeezed by an invisible big hand.

He lowered his head uneasily, unconsciously tightening his fingers on the ground.

Looking at the people of Aaron Landis who obviously looked anxious, Garlan smiled.

He said, "Welcome home."

The voice of the Boy King spread across the silent land.

There is no redundant, complicated language.

It was just a simple sentence, four words, but instantly swept away the oppressive atmosphere that enveloped that group of people.

All the apprehension, the anxiety of being close to the hometown, and the complicated and chaotic thoughts disappeared before this sentence.

【Welcome home. 】

Sid lowered his head deeply, clenched his fingers, and suppressed the soreness at the tip of his nose.

Yes.

It's been tough.

They're finally... home.

…………

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

Under the cheers and welcome of the people on both sides, the marching army walked through the Wangcheng Avenue among the falling petals, and returned to the barracks on the other side of the Wangcheng.

Kyhos followed Garlan back to the palace.

Soon, he was already standing in the room of the palace.

There were only Garlan and him in the room, and the female officer stood guard in the courtyard outside.

Kyhos came here alone, not to report the battle situation to Garlan. After all, he would send back a battle report every few days, so Garlan was clear about the process of this war.

Standing in front of the silent Garlan, for the first time, the blond knight had the urge to run away from the boy.

For the first time, he felt that it was so difficult to talk to the child he had watched grow up.

"...I'm sorry, Your Highness."

After deliberating for a long time, Keyhos finally opened his mouth with difficulty.

His voice was terribly dry.

"I can't bring Lord Heymos' body back to Aaron Landis."

Clenching his right hand tightly to his chest, he maintained a posture of bowing and saluting.

For some reason, he didn't dare to look at the face of the boy in front of him, and said with lowered eyes.

"Almost half of the mountain has collapsed, and the part of the palace has been completely sunken, completely buried by the fallen mountain, and cannot be excavated."

"If the excavation is forced, I worry that there may be a danger of continued subsidence there."

Heymos is very important to His Majesty.

Keyhors knew.

A month has passed, and the death of Heymos is already doomed. If his body can be brought back, it may bring some comfort to His Majesty.

But he knows better.

Even if Garlan was in Kanal King City at that time, he would never have made the decision to let the soldiers risk their lives to dig up the remains.

The blond knight looked down like a child who had done something wrong.

"I'm really sorry, Prince."

In the confusion, he subconsciously called out that familiar name again.

He clenched his hands tightly on his chest.

"I shouldn't have let His Excellency Heymos infiltrate Kanal King City, it's all my fault..."

"Kayhors."

A hand reached out and held his hand that was so tightly clenched that the knuckles were slightly white.

Garlan looked up at him.

"If there is a reason to be investigated, it is me."

He says,

"It was I who asked Heymos to rescue the captured Aaron Landis, so that he would risk his life, otherwise, you know, he would never do that kind of thing—so, In the final analysis, I was the one who harmed him, and I was the one who was wrong."

"It's not your fault, Prince!"

Kaihos raised his eyes abruptly, he grabbed Garlan's hand and retorted without hesitation.

"No one expected such a thing to happen. On the battlefield, everything changes rapidly, and no one knows what will happen next."

"Prince, I know you are very sad, but you can't blame yourself, do you understand?"

Garlan didn't answer right away.

He glanced at his hand, which was being held tightly by Keyhors, and then smiled.

He said, "This is just like you, Kyhos. The timid look just now does not show the demeanor of being a sun knight at all."

"........."

Kaihos couldn't react for a while, and looked at Garlan blankly.

Garlan shook his head.

"As you said, things on the battlefield change rapidly, and no one can predict it, so it's not my fault, let alone your fault, I can only say..."

He paused before continuing.

"That's how it should be."

"His Majesty……"

Garlan raised his left hand and placed it on the hand that Kejos was holding his own.

He held his knight's hand in both hands, raised his head, his golden pupils curved slightly softly, and smiled at his knight.

"Kayhors, I'm so glad you're back with me safe and sound."

He smiled and said,

"You don't have to worry about me, I'm fine."

…………

After talking with Garlan for a while, Kyhos left the room.

After all, after going out for half a year, after a fierce battle, he led the army back to the royal city, even he was a little tired.

Kayhos had seen it with his own eyes. After Kamos died in battle two years ago, the young boy curled himself up in the dark, hugged himself and buried his head in his knees. He remained silent for two whole days. Not eating or drinking, like a wood carving without a soul.

He also knows.

In the past two years, Heymos has gradually occupied an extremely important position in Garlan's heart.

So, before he saw Garlan with his own eyes, he was always very worried.

After seeing Garlan's current state, he finally felt a little relieved.

The young king's demeanor in front of the army is the same as before, and his power is even more powerful.

When the two were alone just now, Garlan stood in front of him. Although his figure looked thinner, his expression was very calm when he mentioned the news of that person's death.

Even the smile, it seems to be the same as before, not much has changed.

Keyhors thought.

Yes, after experiencing so many things, that little child has grown up little by little after all.

I have become stronger and more mature than before.

Feeling so emotional in his heart, Kaihos, who had just left the gate, suddenly remembered that he seemed to have left his cloak on the table in the room.

Fortunately, he hadn't gone far, so he quickly turned around and walked back to the room.

He didn't close the door tightly when he left, and now he also concealed it when he returned. His Majesty seemed to be still in the room and hadn't left.

Keyhos walked to the door, put his hand on the ajar door, and was about to push it open.

Before he could make a move, when he looked up, through the crack of the door, he saw the profile of Garlan standing there.

Garlan stood in front of the open floor-to-ceiling windows with a calm expression, as if he was looking out at the garden full of birdsong and fragrant flowers.

The warm spring breeze blew in from the outside, stirring up a few strands of long golden hair that fell on her shoulders.

The room is flooded with sunlight, bright and warm.

At this moment, there was only Garlan alone.

He stood in front of the French window, raised his hand, and leaned against the edge of the French window.

The boy looked at the courtyard, seemingly fascinated.

Thick blond hair fell down, casting shadows over his eyes.

Keyhos had already pressed his hand on the door, and was about to push it open and go in.

Suddenly, a gust of wind blew from the courtyard, lifting the boy's blond forehead.

Kyhos saw Garlan's eyes.

His brain buzzed suddenly.

He saw the boy's eyes.

It was a look that couldn't be described in words.

But there is no need to say, let alone describe.

Anyone who sees it can feel the traces of bone-piercing pain.

Kyhoes' mind went blank.

He stood there blankly, seeing Garlan's hand holding the window slowly withdrawing.

As if being blown a little cold by the wind, Garlan wrapped his arms around himself tightly.

The boy standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows slowly squatted on the ground.

He hugged himself very tightly.

He lowered his head, and his long blond hair fell down from his shoulders, as if wrapping his whole body in it.

The boy hugged himself like this, buried his head deeply, squatted, and curled up his body, shrinking himself into a small ball like a child.

Looked oddly helpless.

The boy's fingers clasped his arm tightly, so deep that it was bruised.

The whitish fingertips may have been slightly trembling because of the extreme force...

…………

Unable to watch it any longer, Keyhos reached out and was about to open the door and break in.

But a hand suddenly stretched out from the side and stopped him.

Kyhos, who was in a state of extreme confusion, was about to make a move, but when he looked up, he saw the familiar face of the female officer.

He froze for a moment, then was forcibly dragged away by Taputi and taken outside the room.

"Why don't you let me in?"

Kaihos showed unprecedented anxiety, and even growled at Taputi out of composure.

As long as he thought of what he had just seen, his heart ached.

"His Majesty would not wish you to go in."

Taputi looked at him with frost on his face.

"why?"

Kyhoes clenched his hands tightly, his fingers rattling in frustration.

"Cayhors, he's not a prince anymore, he's a king."

said the magistrate, looking grave.

But her eyes revealed deep sorrow.

"He is the king who guards the entire Aaron Landis."

So, he won't rely on you.

And don't depend on anyone.

Therefore, he can smile calmly and stand in front of everyone as if nothing had happened.

That is his dignity as a king.

…………

And the only person in this world who he could rely on as a king is no longer there.