The sun is high

(I fainted, I wrote the wrong chapter title again)

Accept them.

Embrace them.

These two sentences are very subtle.

At first glance, Shuge felt that Zeke Ernst seemed to want him to put aside his resistance to the title and identity of the illegitimate son of the Ernst family, let go of his past dissatisfaction with the family, and reintegrate into it as a member.

He even acquiesced in Xiuge's negative thoughts and emotions towards his "cheap father" in his words.

As a powerful person in a large aristocratic family, it is extremely abnormal to show such an attitude in the first meeting after a long time.

Not to mention that all of this is based on a series of doubtful and incredible facts.

Xiuge always felt that what the old man in front of him said seemed to have something to say, but he had no clear evidence.

As for the fact that Princess Sophia came to find him, Shuge felt that it was impossible to hide it from Old Zeke from the beginning. For an existence of his level, the entire Bolden and even the entire Kingdom of Walter, I'm afraid there is no absolute confidentiality.

In this land, the roots of the Ernst family are really deep.

"I already know what happened tonight."

Zeke Ernst did not wait for Shuge's response. He took control of the conversation and talked with Shuge about what happened before: "Kid, to be honest, your sense of smell is very keen. The judgments made in times of danger are equally cautious, but I don’t quite understand why you chose to shoot to save Elena?”

Xiuge looked at the nominal elder in front of him and asked: "You mean, I should have chosen to stand by and watch?"

"of course not."

The old man shook his head, laughed happily, gently pushed and pulled the metal lever installed on the armrest of the wheelchair with his fingers, and drove the wheelchair to a table.

Seeing this, one of the maids immediately came up. She stretched out her hand and fiddled with it in a hidden place, and a hidden secret grid immediately popped up on the wall of the exhibition hall.

Stored in the hidden compartments are several bottles of wine without labels. The color of the wine looks a little dark, like a deep red gem or a lake.

"one third."

The old man gave instructions softly, and then the maid fetched a small glass wine glass and reached out to unplug the cork of the wine bottle.

An extremely attractive smell immediately appeared in the air.

The deep wine smelled slightly different from ordinary fine wine, more fragrant and more attractive.

The wine glass containing some wine was handed into the hands of Old Zeke. The old man watched reluctantly as the bottle of wine was stuffed back into the secret compartment. Then he turned his head and grinned at Xiuge: "We are getting old. Don't enjoy anything casually. These are the collection wines of the St. Steele royal family. They were secretly taken out of the warehouse without even affixing the labels... I don't know whether they were drunk first or I moved in first. In the grave.”

Old Zeke was very calm when talking about death, showing no taboo or fear at all.

"Come on, kid, let's continue the previous topic... Of course there is no absolute right answer to what happened tonight, because everyone's decision will always change based on their own positions."

"So the reason you're surprised is because you don't think I should have done this in my position?"

While talking, Xiuge pulled out another chair and sat down under the gaze of the two silent maids. Then, he directly asked the old man in front of him: "I am very curious. What are you talking about?" In the eyes of others, what is my position? In other words, what should it look like?"

The atmosphere in the exhibition hall seemed a bit stagnant.

Because although Xiuge still uses honorifics, both his actions and his tone are completely different from other younger generations in the family. In other words, there is a lack of respect for the family elders and the highest authority.

The two maids' eyes were fixed on Xiuge at the same time, almost nailing his thin body to the wall.

Unlike the maids who were facing a formidable enemy, Zeke Ernst was quite satisfied with Shuge's current performance. He carefully looked at his "junior", then raised his hand and faced The two maids, who were obviously powerful and also served as bodyguards, waved their hands.

The two maids paused for a moment, then walked backwards out of the exhibition hall and closed the door thoughtfully.

For a time, only Xiuge and Lao Zeke were left here.

The old man took another sip of the wine in his glass, then he took a breath and said, "This is right. People's choices are not only limited by their positions, but also by their current strength, background and situation... You Look, not only did you successfully crawl out of the mud pit in Salem City, but you also crossed the threshold of magic."

"In the Fifth Chasseur Regiment, not only were you not rejected by soldiers and mages, but you solved those problems through your own strength. And when you arrived in Bolden, even Princess Sophia immediately started recruiting you. .”

"This is indeed an achievement worthy of bragging!"

Old Zeke still had a smile on his face, but there was always an elusive and weird meaning in his tone.

Xiuge looked at the old man in front of him seriously. He looked so weak. He neither carried a weapon nor had any protective power on his body. It seemed that as long as he reached out his hand, he could strangle him alive. In that wheelchair.

"Have you ever wondered why so many changes have happened to you?"

Old Zeke put down his wine glass, suppressed his smile, and said seriously: "Child, have you forgotten what you used to be like? Do you need me to help you recall it?"

He leaned back slightly and reached out to pull the blanket on his legs: "A humble apprentice who was kicked out of the academy because he had no magic talent had to write inferior texts in exchange for royalties in order to make a living. When he was blackmailed by gangsters, he could only hand it over honestly. Money Bag, when faced with the unfair treatment from his father, could not even look up."

"But now, you are not only able to master new types of firearms proficiently, but you even hesitated to expose your magic talent to save a family member you have never met... Hehe, how can this not make people feel uncomfortable with your stance and choices? Where are the doubts?”

Of course Shuge knew the answer to everything Lao Zeke described and questioned.

But he has never really regarded these experiences as his past. It is really difficult to use these words to cause him emotional fluctuations.

The exhibition hall fell silent, and the magic clock on the wall made a ticking, ticking sound rhythmically.

Probably because of drinking, Old Zeke's old face looked a lot rosier.

After saying too many words at once, he was still a little tired. After taking a few breaths, the old man spoke again: "Okay, let's get back to the topic...Child, I think you must be confused. , why does the family want to try every means to bring you back to Bolden?"

Shuge nodded slightly.

Old Zeke, who received Shuge's response, stared at him and asked, "Have you ever heard of the Black Sun Society or the Black Sun Prophecy?"

The moment he heard this question, Xiuge's thinking paused for a moment.

Although he had already speculated that the Ernst family might be related to the Black Sun Society, he did not expect that Zeke Ernst, the leader of the family, would directly confront him without any hesitation. to reveal this potentially bizarre connection.

Xiuge controlled his expression. The disk in his spiritual world began to rotate faster, but there was no change on the surface. Then he asked softly: "Of course I have heard of it, especially the latter."

"One day, the gods will fall into madness, knights will be devoured by evil beasts, and laughter will continue on the broken throne... The eternal black sun will become the messenger of war, and believers who have lost their miracles and divine grace will fight each other, losing their heirs and The blood of the crowned nobles flowed like rivers.”

Old Zeke slowly read out this widely circulated prophecy, and then asked: "So, how much do you know about the Black Sun Society?"

"The Wild Mage Society regards the prophecy of the Black Sun as truth. I don't know the rest."

"Um……"

Old Zeke glanced at Xiuge meaningfully, and then he said: "The Wild Mage Society, that is the name Merlin Lehe gave to the association... For the group of 'usurpers', anything that endangers their current status will not matter. Is he a 'wild mage'?"

"You mean that the origins of the Black Sun Society are older than Merlinle and the Legal Committee?"

Old Zeke did not answer Shuge's question. He tapped the ground gently with his cane: "The origin of the association has long been difficult to trace. Just like our family, it has enough power to run through the entire Luowei Plateau and beyond. Vann’s History.”

"Long before those kingdoms were established, long before the Legal Council was established in the north, the association already existed... It had many, many names. When it was prosperous, its members were all over Van En. When it was declining, there were only Individual members have struggled to survive, but it still exists today, and the prophecy of the Black Sun is still circulated among people."

"According to you, there is a connection between the family and the Black Sun Society?"

"It's a close connection."

Old Zeke slowly sat up straight and said slowly: "When the Ernst family decided to base themselves in the Kingdom of Walter, the contract with the association was already signed. From then on, the Ernst family's Every person in power and heir will become a member of the Association, and this manor will forever become the Association’s outpost and sanctuary in the Kingdom of Votel.”

After hearing these words, Shuge couldn't help but frowned: "This setting is too strange. It seems that in this real Van En, the history of the Black Sun Society is far more profound than what we originally wrote. And judging from Zeke’s words, the history and origin of the association can be traced back to before the Legal Committee... The Black Sun Association and the prophecy of the Black Sun may be related to the so-called Lost Gods again?"

After thinking about it carefully, Xiuge asked tentatively: "So it sounds like the family's survival is strongly supported by the association?"

The old man shook his head: "Never."

"So, the association can clear some obstacles for the family or provide some conveniences?"

"Nothing either."

The old man's answer surprised Shuge, but then he revealed the truth to Shuge: "The fundamental reason why the Ernst family is willing to enter into a contract with the association is that we believe in the prediction of the association - it It has never made a mistake, and it is precisely because of this that the Ernst family has been able to avoid and survive the disasters that could destroy weak countries time and time again."

"It sounds like the folklore about the black sun is just part of those prophecies?"

"exactly."

The old man nodded solemnly: "The terrifying plague that once killed half of the population of the plateau and plains, the establishment of the Kingdom of Walter, Augustine's seizure of power, the terrifying tsunami that destroyed the seaside town of Hain Kingdom... all of these have been accurately predicted. , it is no exaggeration to say that the members of the Black Sun Society are like gods who can communicate with fate, and can always issue important warnings one after another, thus revealing the changes that the entire world is about to face."

"It sounds a little...ethereal."

"But that's the truth."

The old man and Shuge looked at each other: "The Ernst family is convinced that everything in the prophecy will eventually be confirmed, and in the latest prophecy of the association, the figure of the black sun finally appears."

His eyes became a little hollow. After taking a few deep breaths, he opened his mouth and softly read two paragraphs: "Ignorance will make peace disappear, hypocrisy will turn the city into a sacrifice pit. War will... The precursor of the black blazing sun, the only son of the abyss will be born in the sacrifice pit."

The previous sentence of Xiuge had not been seen in the notebook of goblin mage Marcel before, but the latter sentence was already very familiar to him.

Old Zeke continued: "The reason why an accurate prophecy is so touching is that it will eventually turn into an irrefutable truth at some point, and my child... I can tell you that now is the moment when this prophecy is confirmed. .”

"How to prove it?"

"You actually know it very well, don't you?"

Old Zeke turned to look out the window. At this time, the snow increased again, and the continuous white light and shadow formed an endless huge curtain in the cold world outside: "The first half of the prophecy has been fulfilled, Salem The city can no longer call itself a city of peace, it has been completely destroyed by people's ignorance and hypocrisy... War can break out at any time, maybe next week, maybe next month, haha, even tomorrow."

"As for the second half of the prophecy..."

Listening to Old Zeke's words, the bad predictions that Shuge had made before were perfectly verified at this moment: "The only son of the abyss who crawled out from the city of Salem in the Pit of Incarnation Sacrifice, isn't he sitting right in front of me? What?"