Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Dark Temple

July 12, 325 in the Pals calendar. "Summer Lent" is almost over.In the area around Yekbadana, the capital of the kingdom, a late summer atmosphere will begin to permeate as soon as August enters.In the tavern, the price of the wine began to be reduced in order to sell it before the weather turned cold, and fruits such as pears and grapes began to appear in the market. this period.Kebaduo and Meru, two generals, are still dealing with the post-war in the fortress of Peishahuaer. The two generals, Gulaj and Tess, arrived at Kiran Port on July 20 by sea.They stayed there for five days to make sufficient adjustments, loaded a large amount of rue into the car, and transported by land to Yekebadana, the capital of the kingdom.It is expected to arrive around August 10th.

Therefore, at the present day of July 27th, the people in the royal capital include Chiswat, Dalong, Narsas, Yelam, Farjis, Alfred, and Sarabang There are eleven generals including Te, Jimsa, Gaswand, Yisfang and Qifu. These eleven generals visited and met with each other in a very hasty manner at the end of July.Immediately after one left, he talked to the other, repeating the same words many times.Some people began to suggest that it would be troublesome and a waste of effort to continue like this. "Everyone, gather together. On the 30th of this month, a report meeting will be held to jointly report important information."

General Chiswat communicated this to the generals on July 27.Although it was a very appropriate instruction, it required Chiswat himself to run around, listen and speak, and had to accumulate some resentment.When he had just gone to ask King Arslan for permission, with the temperament of a young monarch, he promised on the spot. "You are free to use any room in the palace." There are several rooms in the palace for meetings.All empty rooms. Compared with the former king Andra Corras III, the "court" of Arslan is less than one-tenth of its scale.And even Andra Corras III was not a monarch who deliberately wanted to show luxury.He would not ask for lights to be lit in front of the windows when the harem was free when Princess Taiba Mina and the ladies serving her were away.

And Arslan was too frugal.He thinks a house for his own living, as long as it has a bedroom, a living room and a bathroom is enough.After he ascended the throne, he built a small part of the palace.In any case, the dilapidated hall of summons cannot be left alone like that, and because in this way many people can be given jobs and salaries in the matter of construction. Prime Minister Lu Xiang has spoken to the young king dozens of times and hundreds of times so far. "If you don't want to be as luxurious as King Rajtra of the neighboring country, what will the envoys of various countries think?"

Even King Rajtra II of Syndra, who is cited as an example, enjoyed life to the fullest but had no luxuries beyond the realm of a monarch.In the final analysis, those things are all within the allowable range of the state's finances. Facing Lu Xiang's suggestion, Arslan responded with a wry smile. "If I become luxurious like Rajtra, I won't be like me anymore." "If you get used to it, you'll get used to it. If the people at the top are so simple, it will be difficult for the people at the bottom to enjoy life." So it was, and maybe it was.Although Arslan nodded, it turned out to her that the ease of living a frugal life was more in line with his character.He didn't like being locked in a golden cell, and he liked to run around on his own feet, which always made Lushan and Yeram worry about him.

By the way, Yelam's official title is "Chief of the Guard".It was an identity that commanded 5,000 to 10,000 soldiers in the heyday of the old royal family of Pals, but according to the current actual situation, it was only as the king's conversation partner while commanding about a hundred people at best. Speaking of July 27, 325 in the Pals calendar, it was already the day after Sirmes installed the new young king in Misru.And no one in Yekbadana, the capital of the kingdom, knew the situation of Misru.At most, the guards on the other side of the border seemed to be clamoring.

Sirmes, who seized the power of Mysilu overnight, also didn't know the situation of Pars.They are really on par with each other. Arslan was the first to know about the battle against the magic army around Dimabonte Mountain and Peshawar.This first report was made by the courageous activist "The Angel of Death". The angel of death fell on the roof of the palace on the morning of July 5th. Although the letter written by the general Kebaduo, who is the commander of thousands of cavalry, is not long, Arslan can quickly understand this. The whole story of a tragic offensive and defensive battle.

If you want to know exactly what happened on the way, you have to wait for the return of the generals who participated in the offensive and defensive battles. However, it is somewhat ironic that on the same afternoon of July 5, the emergency envoys from Mania, the Soviet Union, also arrived at the king's palace. in front of the city gate. This urgent envoy named Ratoul was covered in sweat and dust all over his body, and even the smell of rue could hardly be smelled.He said so after drinking the water in the water bottle that was handed to him. "Request early deployment of reinforcements!"

"Don't worry, Peshawar has been saved." Hearing what General Chiswat said, he just let out a small cry, and just lost consciousness like that. Then Arslan enthusiastically called Chiswat, Daron, and Narsas and said. "It's a pity that there were sacrifices, but Kebado has tried his best. No matter what, he can't think of a better command and command than Kebado. Although Kebado himself proposed to accept punishment for causing many soldiers to die in battle, but I still decided to reward him." The three generals all agreed with the king, and at the same time fully affirmed Kebaduo's actions for future rewards, and had a conversation.Narsus spoke.

"Quebado's achievements are not just about insisting on guarding Peshaval. Facing Iltrish, it is also very important to say that Peshaval will never give up." Daron tilted his head. "Is that considered a merit?" "It's a great achievement." "Well, the words of Mr. Kebaduo, as a warrior, really make people's eyes shine. I also think that it has publicized the determination of our army. However, I don't think that because of this, Iltrixiu will give up fighting against Peisha. Huaer's strategy. It will make him very stubborn, and he will take Peisha Huaer at all costs."

"So that's fine." Narsas just said this, and then laughed. What is this guy planning again.Yarslan, Dalong and Kiswat all had the same idea, but they all avoided the question after that.Because they all know that this is a man who will say when the time comes, and will not mention a word when the time is not.Although I don't know if it was a trick or a trick at that time, I should wait for Narsas's mind to brew it into the best wine. "I feel that I can no longer drive the angel of death unnecessarily, so I have to order the human messenger to convey the decision here to Kebaduo as soon as possible. The necessary supplies must also be sent there, Narsas, you can think about it. content." "Of order, Your Majesty, I will hand it over to you tomorrow morning." "Even so—" Arslan stared at the sky through the window.In the increasingly deep blue sky, slender clouds floated. "According to the reports of Jimsa and Qifu, Iltrish of Teran is indeed still alive." The four sat around the map.Here is a map of Pals.The area from the vicinity of the Old Tran border to Peshawar and Badafshah is marked with a red line.This is made by connecting all the dots drawn on the land where Iltrish appeared with lines. This meant that Iltrish was constantly carrying out activities from south to north in the eastern part of Pals. "Compared to Chief and I, this Tlan man is more mobile." Narsas was going to make a joke. "That's true." This made Dalong nod his head seriously, so Arslan and Chiswat all laughed, and Narsas couldn't get angry. "However, he works so hard in the world. That's why he's such an idiot." Daron was still clumsily clenching his lips. "Now, where is that guy?" Chiswat muttered to himself, and the eyes of the four people all fell on the map.It fell on the red line connecting the north and the south in the east of Pars.Iltrish must be hiding somewhere along this line. Chiswat continued. "Iltrish is both brave and full of ingenuity and commanding power. If he fights, he will indeed be a troublesome opponent." Starting from Giemsa, the seven brave generals of the Pars Army including Kebaduo, Tess, Merulian, Gaswand, Isfun, and Qifu all fought against him, but they still failed to kill him in the end. "He is really getting better at escaping. It can be seen that he is practicing on this path." Narsas responded to Dalong's words. "However, Iltrish also has a shortcoming." "That is?" "It's just that we can't retreat without a fight. Coupled with his attachment to Peshawar, it's enough to take care of that man." Just after saying this, Narsas closed his mouth again. It was July 30th, and a report meeting attended by eleven generals was held in the palace.However, the first person Arslan summoned this morning was Feldas, who was the mausoleum administrator.Since December last year, he has been searching for the prisoner who took away the body of Andra Kolas III, but to no avail, and now he has tried everything possible to propose a responsible dismissal. "It's a pity that the culprit who stole the imperial tomb has not been identified so far, but the position of the imperial tomb administrator has many other things. Therefore, I cannot accept the dismissal of Ferdas. You should continue to hold that position." Arslan's order like this is obviously to comfort Feldas.Ferdas knocked his head to the ground several times. It is true that Arslan was a tolerant monarch, but there are other reasons as well.Pals lost a lot of talent during the Lusedanian invasion, and five years alone cannot fill this hole.If these people who have not made decisive mistakes are fired one by one, there will be no one to replace them. Feldas was moved by the king's generosity and kindness and retreated, but the general Chiswat happened to see his back, so he whispered to Dalong beside him. "I thought it would be great if Sir Sham and Sir Sharp were still alive. There's no need to be afraid of Iltrish." "If they're still there, I'm sure, but wouldn't it be great to have companions like Chief and Merulian?" "That's right." After nodding, there was a wry smile beside Chiswat's beard. "Since the Lusedanian invasion, the nature of the Pars army's talents has changed. I'm only thirty-four years old, but I feel like I'm getting old." "That kind of lines should only be said by children after they grow up." "Well, it's true." After a while, the generals entered the palace one by one and were invited to the seats of the report meeting. "It's really like His Majesty's style." To Gaswand and Alfred's delight, Arslan did not take the top seat.Thirteen were arranged in a circle with a diameter of about four gashs, and all the attendees sat cross-legged.Moreover, Prime Minister Luxiang sat on the left side of the king, and General Chiswat sat on the right side. If you insist, that side can also be called the upper seat.However, the military adviser Narsas was sitting in front of the king, and Dalong was sitting next to him, so this side cannot be called the next seat. Seeing that all the staff are seated, from Arslan to the left are Luxiang, Gaswand, Giemsa, Sarabant, Daron, Narsas, Alfred, and Frankie Si, Qifu, Isfun, Yeram and Chiswat.The window was open, and a refreshing wind came in, but in order to guard against enemy attacks, guards were deployed outside the door, outside the courtyard, and even on the roof. The report meeting that started in the morning continued into the evening after lunch time.As a result, the participants were able to share a large amount of information and sort it out. Chardi's death in Mythru.Oxus lord Murilu, Sarabant's father, dies unexpectedly.The battle in the underground labyrinth of Dimabonte Mountain.The offense and defense of Peshawar Fortress.Strange things happened in the "Plananus Garden" in the old Badafsha territory—— When everyone reported, other attendees raised questions, and everyone started a discussion with excited voices.If it becomes difficult to deal with, Narsas will calmly summarize the discussion and sort out the main points. As his son, Sarabant already knew all about Murilu's death.Heard it from Franz and Alfred before the king.Therefore, at the report meeting on the 30th, even after listening to the report again, I didn't let my emotions get too excited.However, seeing his thick shoulders slung and his back bent, Yisfang and Gaswand still felt very sorry, and couldn't look directly at the general's face. Sarabant spoke. "It's an unbelievable story. Ah, it's the story of the silver bracelet. Even if what the queen mother said is true, does that guy named Leila must be the queen mother's own child?" Because this matter involved the birth of Arslan, it was a difficult topic to talk about. However, because Sarabant wanted to exchange opinions with everyone without any taboo, all the generals also expressed their own opinions. Opinion.At this stage, a very convincing opinion has not been put forward. "interesting." It was Narsus who said this.Daron asked immediately. "What's interesting?" "Ah, if that guy named Layla is really the Queen Mother's own child, and drank the blood of the Snake King to become her kinsman, wouldn't things turn out that the descendants of King Kai Hoslow, the hero who defeated the Snake King, joined the enemy? Are you in the camp?" Daron glanced at Arslan and frowned. "Isn't it just fun?" "Gone." With a stern expression and tone, Narsas looked around at the people present. "It's enough to be interesting. If I expand it further after that, I, Narsas, will not forgive it. Even if the Queen Mother's own child becomes a member of the Snake King, so what? Even if it is An ironic ornament, in the final analysis, is also a matter of the old royal family of Pars. It has nothing to do with the current state of Pars and the king!" This is not a loud cry.But all the people present sat quietly as if frozen in ice.What broke the silence was Alfred's hesitant protest. "But maybe Layla didn't want to—" "It happened to Layla. Iltrish must have a reason for Iltrish. However, we don't need to think about it. It won't be long before the magic army may attack the capital Launch a large-scale attack, and those who see the figures of Iltrish and Layla in front of the enemy at that time must attack them without hesitation!" "—" "If there are people who hesitate to crusade against the generals of the magic army because of the friendship and communication in the past, they will put their personal feelings ahead of the truth, and they will be the enemy of Pars. Even if the king magnanimously forgives , I, Narsas, will not let him live. You all remember clearly!" Narsas's sword skills have reached the realm of perfection, and everyone agrees on this point.However, unlike that, it is its sharp theory and strong will that have also impressed the brave generals who have experienced many battles.The three generals, Chiswat, Dalong and Frangis, put their fists on the ground and lowered their heads without a word, so the other generals did the same. This is exactly what they swore in silence Comply with the performance of the military division's instructions. Only Alfred looked at Narsas's side face as if she didn't know what to do, but it was only for a moment, and then she pressed her fists to the ground, lowering her head deeper than anyone else . The man named Narsas, who has always had the false name of a court painter, can be called the only wise general of the countries on the mainland road, not just because he lived up to expectations and won surprises on the battlefield.Lighting a lamp in the dark to point people to the right path, that kind of wisdom was once again recognized by the generals who did not look far into the battlefield. "Narsas." It was Arslan's voice that broke the silence.Narsas looked at the young monarch and bowed deeply as if he had been freed from his shackles. "I didn't realize that I said some exaggerated words in front of the king. Please punish me." "It's okay, Narsas, you just said everything I should say for me." Arslan sat there upright. "All the responsibility rests with me, the king. Lovers, you must follow Narsas's instructions without hesitation. It may bring bad results to your mother, but I will apologize anyway. So Ladies and gentlemen, don't worry about anything." A huge cloud was floating in mid-air, blocking the sunlight coming in from the window.In the slightly darkened seat, the king's voice flowed quietly. "It is sad to be guilty as a son, but it is even more painful to be questioned as a king. I still value the blood of the people more than the tears of my mother. This is the duty of the king of a country. If If I forget this matter, I hope everyone can remind me." At this time, the eleven generals present all have different positions and moods.Someone with experience in serving the old Pars royal family.People who don't have that kind of experience, people who have met Queen Mother Taiba Mina.No one has ever met her.A person who once fought against the Pars army as an enemy army.People who don't have that kind of experience -- The person who connects them beyond various positions and moods.That is King Arslan, and it is because of his existence that all members are united.Everyone understood this without saying a word, and they also understood that no one can replace this young monarch. Disbanded together.Each has obtained a large amount of information, and it will take a certain amount of time to digest all of them. In order to bid farewell to everyone enthusiastically, Arslan stood at the door of the house ahead of time.The last ones left were Kiswat, Dalon and Narsas, they were talking in low voices while looking at the figure of the monarch standing at the door who was talking with Alfred and Qifu . Narsus said. "Although Iltrixiu has turned to the Snake King, he is only a warrior and not a strategist." "Why do you think so?" "The Queen Mother was not taken hostage." Hearing Narsas's instructions, Chiswat and Dalong shouted for a moment.Looking at Arslan's back, Chiswat groaned. "That's true—if Her Majesty the Queen Mother is taken as a hostage, Her Majesty Arslan will definitely be shaken." "Send soldiers to guard the Queen Mother's mansion?" Narsas shook his head at Dalong's words. "No, if you act like that, you may tell the enemy the weakness of this side. Just ignore it." "But, I mean, if, if the Queen Mother is harmed by Iltrish—" "In that case, you won't have to worry about the Queen Mother being taken hostage. And for His Majesty Arslan, the Snake King will become the hatred of his mother, and he will fight in person with the determination not to back down." Daron looked suspiciously at Narsas who gave a quick answer. "What do you mean by that? Narsas, you guy, does it matter even if this kind of result happens? Rather than saying that, it's better to say that you are expecting the result to be like this, right?" "How? I'm not that bad." The baddest man on the face of the earth had the audacity to react this way and give him a huge stretch. "Then, let's stop talking about hypothetical topics first, and let's go back today. It seems that the high-quality paintbrush that took half a year to send from the country of silk will be delivered today." The generals each embarked on their way home.The shadows of the footsteps have become longer. General Chiswat was thinking about such and such things while riding a horse back to the front of the house, and his wife Nasling greeted him with a smile.Beside her, the child Jimsa had brought back from the border, bowed deeply to Chiswat. The girl who was called "careful and thoughtful" lost her voice, but her expression was very happy.Even if Kiswat's wife, Nasling, didn't give any orders, she was still walking around the house, helping the maids and servants to do some things.Cleaning, laundry, tending to horses, everything.I don't know if it's because he likes her, Aiyaru, who is jokingly called "the general fifty years later" by the adults, always follows her. Nasling recently wanted to marry this "thoughtful" girl from her own family as a bride.Seeing the "careful and thoughtful" girl saying hello to herself with Aiyaru behind her back, the general with a neat beard smiled and patted her head and walked into the house. It's not just this "careful" girl who becomes the new resident of the capital.And Aisha, who was traveling with Isfon and Chiv. "If you have practiced as a priestess for a while, come to my house. Do something for me." Hearing what Franz said, Alfred also said. "It's okay to come to my house. People who have also failed in cultivation, I think there must be a common topic." Alfred seemed to feel a sense of rapport, but Frangis said nothing about it. After the report meeting, Alfred confided his heart to Franz. "Anyway, what happened to Leila—" What he heard from Chiv and Isfon deeply affected Alfrid. "Don't be discouraged. It's not your fault." "But Leila is such a kind-hearted girl! She didn't become like that voluntarily, it's so pitiful!" "Of course I know this too. But I still can't do anything. If she was fascinated by the poison, wouldn't it be all right to wake her up?" Alfred had always wanted to have a one-on-one conversation with Narsus, but there was no chance. About Aisha, Alfred, who knew the details, was also very interested, and asked Isfan who brought her back. "What kind of girl is it?" "Ah, a girl who often falls down." "That's an amazing performance." "As you said, but it's also true." When Yisfang spoke to Aisha for the first time, she bumped into a passerby and fell down, and then she fell to the ground when she was slapped by the confused Queen Mother Taiba Mina.There is always such a tragic scene of falling to the ground with a scream, and it is precisely because it always falls or is overthrown that it leaves a wonderful impression on people.From the perspective of Yisfang, the method of body movement must be considered, so that the problem will be solved immediately. "The girl named Aisha has experience in serving nobles, so let her work in the palace. It just so happens that one of the female officers resigned due to an old illness, and she can fill the vacancy according to the needs." Prime Minister Lu Xiang made the ruling, and Aisha rode a mule and horse to the palace, and gave her an empty room for a female official, and she immediately picked some flowers to decorate, and started a new life. Lu Xiang can be said to be a prime minister whose image is shaped by popularity and prestige.When King Arslan embarked on a journey, he stayed in the capital to relieve his worries. With regard to internal affairs, he also exerted solid skills, and made the greatest contribution to stabilizing the hearts of the people of Pals.But he is not always a diplomatic and strategic conspiratorial figure.Finally, a character who succeeds dramatically.He handed over all those to the deputy prime minister, Narsas, while he supported the young king down-to-earth.Arslan also trusted the prime minister from the bottom of his heart.If there is only one dissatisfaction between the monarch and his ministers, it is about the "king's bride". There are some old forces who are dissatisfied with the various reforms in Arslan.There are also many bloodline advocates spreading around that Arslan is not the biological son of the former king Andra Corras III.There are also some old nobles who are bored with Narsus and Keef and call them "two disobedient young men".However, because Lu Xiang has been fully supporting Arslan and has not wavered in the slightest, the cries of those guys have not become louder. Once, Arslan asked him in passing. "The prime minister doesn't like a guy like Chief who always does things according to his own preferences?" Then Lu Xiang answered heavily. "No, no, seeing Mr. Qifu, I can recall myself when I was young, I feel very nostalgic." Faced with this answer, not only Yarslan, but also Yelam who was beside him were frightened.After Lu Xiang finished speaking, he left, and Arslan and Yeram were whispering. "Is what Lu Xiang said just now true?" "Well, are you kidding me?" "Even if it's a joke, I probably wouldn't make that kind of joke. If you think about it, he's old enough to be my father. It's only natural that things happened that we didn't know were—" Lu Xiang used to be the lord of Ray, but when he became the lord at a young age, he was facing financial bankruptcy.So they borrowed money from the royal family and the rich to lead waterways to the wilderness, so that the exiled people could settle here and cultivate farmland.And he himself mixed in among the people to participate in labor, listening to the voices of the people and trying to make improvements. After spending twenty years, the output of agriculture and animal husbandry in his territory tripled, and the population doubled.Schools and clinics were built, and rows of trees were planted on both sides of all roads.The borrowed money plus interest has also been repaid.During that time, there was a dispute over the succession within one race, and the two sides adjusted their forces and there was going to be an armed conflict, but he mediated the situation, so he was also well received in the aristocratic society. All kinds of deeds were reported to Yekbadana, the capital of the kingdom, so he was called by the then king Andracolas III and appointed as the court clerk.He worked in a department of civil affairs in Dandang for two years, and gained the popularity of his subordinates and the people, but then he seemed to be involved in a secret struggle in the palace, so he returned to the territory on the grounds of visiting his old mother's illness. , From then on, until he joined the army at the request of Crown Prince Arslan, he has been living a stable life of a rural aristocrat. Because he has a stable and simple personality, and a mature appearance that "looks like thirty years old when he is twenty", so he should have no chance of living a frivolous life like Chief.These are likely to be reminiscent of a Pals proverb, "A tree that grows on its roots envies a bird without roots." No one has any objection to Lu Xiang's appointment as prime minister. Although he has been in office for almost four years, there will not be any competitors in the next five or six years.In fact, Lu Xiang has achieved success and fame. He misses his hometown and hopes to be dismissed as soon as possible.The successor wanted to be replaced by Narsas, but he was still a little worried and couldn't implement it. That is the badness of Narsas.He was originally a man who was not stubborn about his status and reputation. Even if he became a prime minister, he might run away at any time, but what he has been stubbornly never letting go of is the title of "court painter". "If I were to stop being a court painter, I would be dead." These words, the only wise general in the continental highway countries would say these words without even thinking about them, and he was still desperately buying expensive canvases and paintbrushes. "Is there such a waste in the world?" Accompanying Dalong's voice was his ignorant expression. The family of Oxus lords belonged to a handful of famous families even in Pars.However, Lord Murilu, the leader, was lost, and his elder brother Kemain was also killed by Alfred, and the whereabouts of Kemain's son Namod was also missing.Of the family that has almost perished, only Murilu's son Sarabant is left alive. King Arslan, who knew about this matter, persuaded Sarabant to let him return to his hometown to deal with it, but he resolutely refused.Several public fortifications around the capital are in progress at the same time, and those who direct these cannot return to their hometowns, that's what happened. "If you don't want to go back, then don't force it." Arslan noticed it, and stopped persuading Sarabant to return home.However, the king, who is young but also has a veteran side, immediately issued instructions to Prime Minister Lu Xiang, preparing to inherit the lordship of the Oxus area by Sarabant. Certificate of Approval for the new lord. Sarabant took the certificate of approval and wept bitterly.He was grateful for the king's intentions. At the same time, he also thought of his father and the family's most tragic period, his childhood and the scenery of his hometown, but he couldn't restrain his inner feelings.Even though they were still crying excitedly when they got home, the servants were deeply sympathetic and did not speak. Sarabant had no official wife, but he was accompanied by a housewife named Juliana who took care of him and gave instructions to the servant Halim. "Quickly ask the master to take a bath and wash his body." "Yes, get ready right away." Halim used to be a bath boy in the public bathhouse on Yekbadana Street.Because he overheard the secret conversation of the bird-faced ladyboy, his life was endangered, and he finally got the "asylum" of Arslan and lived in the house of Sarabant.I originally planned to save money to run a public bath by myself no matter what, but now I am enjoying a relaxed life in a safe place.No one could compare with him in the care of the bathroom, and because of his good conversation, he had a wealth of topics, and was loved by Sarabant. "Because the owner's body is relatively large, it is necessary to add more water and fuel to make the water boil. And because the owner's back is relatively wide, flushing becomes a bit troublesome." While talking about his health, Halim lathered Sarabant's generous back and snatched the silver coins. Under Sarabant's command, there is a non-commissioned officer named Basciani.He was originally a silver mine foreman in Badafsha, and participated in the battle with the Lusidanian army at the invitation of the crown prince Arslan.After entering Yekbadana, the capital of the kingdom, I found a lover here and no longer wanted to go back to my hometown, so I belonged to Sarabant, and played a role in the restoration of the city wall and the construction of waterways, and got five hundred horsemen. title. Like Bashani, there were more than 500 soldiers from Badafsha who did not return to their hometown but stayed in the royal capital. Almost all of them "clung to women" in Yekbadana.Women who grew up in the royal capital, no matter how rich the land was, did not like to move to the remote border of Badafsha.In that case, it is necessary to choose one of the hometown and the lover, and most men choose the lover. It's just that there are no mines in Yekbadana, so there is no such job as a miner.Among the men from the same village, half of them remained in the army, relying on Pasciani, who had leadership and popularity.The other half set up an organization, undertook various civil engineering works, and lived a new life in the capital. That Basciani, the last time he heard about the miraculous situation from Sarabant, had already happened in July, but after that, no matter how busy he was, he pushed it aside.Because it is said that outside the capital city, in a stone cutting field in an area called Kalia, several residents and laborers have disappeared. On August 1, Sarabant and Basciani led a dozen soldiers to Callia Street. "Ah, isn't that Lord Sarabant?" The residents welcomed him warmly.Dilapidated walls lined up long.People living in this area cannot be said to be living a wealthy life.Since the reign of Arsland, the sewers and sewers have been opened up, the ponds where bugs emerged have been filled, sand has been poured into the mud passages and reinforced with asphalt, and free medical clinics have been built.Residents are asked to work and pay wages in public works, and rice porridge is distributed to those who cannot work.It was Sarabant who was on the scene directing these measures. "Thanks to you, our life is getting better and better." "I was just following the instructions of the fortification. The king gave the order, and His Majesty Shearslan should be the one to thank you." "May the king be in good health! Because he is still young, I hope he can continue to govern this country for another fifty years!" "What are you talking about? It should be a hundred years!" Sarabant was popular among the common people.Although he was born in a famous family, he is straightforward, approachable, and extraordinary.从一大早就赶到工作现场，给劳动者们送来了麦酒和肉。有时还亲自搬运大块的石头，偶尔也与那些力大自满的劳动者比比力气。在向低湿地上运土后需要踩踏结识的时候，他给予了几百名妇女和孩子银币铜币，并且请来艺人让大家一起唱歌跳舞，那之后土被踩得像砖瓦一样坚固。他也富含着那样的机智。 萨拉邦特被带到了凿石场，聚集的劳动者们都睁大眼睛看着。 “哦，全是女人啊？” "exactly." 就像萨拉邦特所看的那样，在现场工作的劳动者全都是女性。都是一些在鲁西达尼亚军大侵略的时候，丈夫和父亲被杀害，那之后想要靠自己的力量生存下去的人们。 “因为男人们都被杀了，女人们也必须要活下去啊。身体健康有力气的就来干活了。” “那是当然。如果说是什么让她们充满了力量的话，是因为国王的仁慈吧。” 午餐被送到了萨拉邦特的面前。 “这里是工事场所，没有什么好吃的，如果不嫌弃的话请吧。” 摆在面前的，是烤面包、烤洋葱、酸乳酪、葡萄干和枣、还有巴旦杏什么的。数量很多。 女人们的代表有五个人，一个一个地向萨拉邦特讲述着事情的情况。人们每次失踪的时候，都有一个奇怪的影子在这附近徘徊。那个影子，据说不久前好像是从那个山崖中出人的。 “我们这些人连男人都不害怕。如果碰到一些不讲道理胡作非为的男人，大家会齐心合力将他赶走。可是，这个好像不是人类啊。” "Ok--" 萨拉邦特大口吃着烤洋葱。意料之外的美味，那种香味在口中一扩散，就想要喝上几口麦酒了。不行不行，他心里嘀咕着，这是在工作中、工作中。 “那么就带我前往吧。我要亲自去看一看。” 健壮的女人们，手持棍棒或铁铲围绕着萨拉邦特。萨拉邦特走着，不知为何有一种被当作囚犯护送的感觉。凿石场十分宽阔，阳光的反射闪出白白的光芒。 “就是这里了，将军大人。” 女人们的手，指着如墓碑一般林立的石头之间的一条缝隙。 裂缝的宽度，一名穿着盔甲的士兵刚刚好可以通过。虽然对萨拉邦特来说有一些委屈，但他还是掸了掸左右的土将上半身伸了进去看了看。从没有尽头的黑暗深处吹来一阵风。是一阵令人不快的热风。那风在萨拉邦特的耳朵里微微作响，他的鼻子也闻到了有一些臭味。 “原来如此，似乎确实是有什么东西居住在此。有必要查明一下这个家伙。” 萨拉邦特随后将他巨大的身体探了出来。有一个人慌张地看着这一切，那个人就是巴夏尼。 “萨拉邦特卿，请不要轻举妄动。不做什么准备吗？” “我会害怕危险吗？” “这种情况，还是请小心为妙。萨拉邦特卿万一出了什么事情的话，会阻碍今后各种各样的国家事业，也会令国王发出叹息的吧。” 一提到国王，萨拉邦特不得不将一己之见暂时抑制下来。他勉强地接受了部下的忠告，命令在裂缝前面修建木头栅栏，当日暂时返回了。 August 2nd. 萨拉邦特求见了国王亚尔斯兰，将卡利亚街的凿石场中发现的谜一样的地缝一事进行了报告，同时申请由武装士兵对那里进行探索的许可。 亚尔斯兰马上许可了，在场的还有奇斯瓦特和达龙。真是一直都待在王宫里的两个无聊的人。 “请让我去吧。” 面对挺身而出的达龙，奇斯瓦特加以了制止。 “如果是面对将地平线淹没的大军来袭，会让你出马的。不过只是对付地下鬼鬼祟祟蠢蠢欲动的魔物，需要派遣战士中的战士？那样的话，不就成了对付蚂蚁使用大象一样了么？会让帕尔斯军全体发笑的。” “那么派谁去呢？” “我自己亲自去吧。” 看着如此断言的奇斯瓦特的脸，达龙叫嚷着。 “大将军亲自出马，那不是更可笑吗？” 达龙一直都为没有参加培沙华尔攻防战而感到遗憾。他多想挥动长剑与敌人作战啊，不过那也同样是奇斯瓦特所想到。 “我以大将军的职权来规定这些事情。不允许你提出任何异议！” “你太横行霸道了！” “怎么说都行。这是我权限范围内的事情。达龙卿，在被推举为大将军候补的时候，真不应该推托给别人，应该亲自来接受。那样的话，像现在这种时候，你就站在了自己可以决定事情的立场上了。” “啊，那个——” “我命令达龙卿留在地上随时待命。副将是吉姆萨卿。两个人都不许怠慢，要按照大将军的命令行事。” 生气得已经说不出话了，达龙以这种状态目送了退席的奇斯瓦特的背影。而亚尔斯兰则是在一旁大学着。 “达龙，下一次一定让你出马。这次就让给奇斯瓦特吧。” “是，既然是陛下的命令的话——” 实际上，无论是哪一个与此有关系的人，都没有认为这件事情会变成一件大事。 就这样到了八月三日，大将军奇斯瓦特和萨拉邦特，带领两百名士兵前往地下进行探索。 达龙则是和吉姆萨一起带领三百人在地上待命，虽说想说那份精锐没有马虎大意，但是达龙正在有所不满着，而吉姆萨也在有些发愣地考虑着事态，由于这种不够专心的气氛，而且士兵中有一大半都是新兵，于是他们便悠闲地立着长枪说起了话。 这时候耶拉姆赶了过来，他一副忍住不笑的表情，给达龙和吉姆萨带来了一个大筐，那是由亚尔斯兰下令送来的慰劳品。有冰凉的葡萄酒，山鹑的烤肉丸，羊骨肉、烤面包和新鲜的梨。战士们分配着羊肉和面包。 一边谢绝了国王的心意，达龙一边坐在了一块大石头上，嘴里开始说起了大将军的坏话。这时刚刚是早上。 这边达龙他们正在举办一个小型的宴会，而就在正下方五十加斯的地下，奇斯瓦特和萨拉邦特他们，正走在不明亮也不有趣的路上。被一百根火把照亮的道路，比想象的要长得多，不停地往里往里，往下往下。 其中的一些士兵发现了一个奇怪的影子，齐声叫了起来。似乎确实有什么东西。 “是食尸鬼吗！？” “也好像是一条四眼犬。” 气氛随之一下变得深沉了。 亚尔斯兰从容不迫地为达龙他们送来慰劳品，是因为他并没觉得会发生什么重大的事情，连达龙和奇斯瓦特也同样这么认为。到了这种时刻，奇斯瓦特沉下了气，命令士兵们不要大意。并且他注意到了，带领的士兵们的数量减少了。在奇斯瓦特这个毫无软肋的男人身上，发生这种状况也真是罕见。 前方的士兵中间又发生了纷争。似乎是四眼犬在眼前跑着，慌忙停下来的士兵和后面的人撞在了一起。 “被诅咒了！” “被地狱之火焚烧了！” 小题大做的骂声与回应，加大了士兵们内心的不安。他们都是在对鲁西达尼亚一战中活下来的强者，即使眼前突然出现敌兵，也应该可以充分地作出对应。 但是，由于怪物们的出现，他们也明白了自己正在一步又一步地远离人类支配的领域，向蛇王撒哈克黑暗的领土靠近着。皮肤被压迫者，感觉自己被包围了，已经无法再忍受了。 在前面行进的萨拉邦特，看上去还是十分可靠，右手握着锤矛，左手拿着火把，稳健地移动着步伐带领着士兵们前进着。他的内心，即使感觉到了不安和恐惧，也不会将其展现出来的。那样的他从出发之后，已经发出了五千次的感叹了。 “哦，这个是——” 在火把的光前浮现的，是一个可以与王宫大厅匹敌的空间。正确地说这只是其中的一部分而已。席卷上方的黑暗十分厚重而巨大，火把的光根本照不到尽头。墙壁上雕刻着无数的蛇和蝎子，而且还设置着由黑色石头制成的祭坛。 “这里到底是什么地方——” “好像神殿啊。” 奇斯瓦特回答萨拉邦特的声音很低沉。 “话虽如此，但那样称呼的话也许会冒犯神灵吧。这里被供奉的可是憎恶与恐怖。” 大小几个炉子、烛台，还有不能立刻数清的壶、瓶子、水盘。被血染色的石台上放着厚刃的刀，还有一些肉片和骨片一样的物体粘在上面。一条粗大的锁链缠绕着，在墙壁上挂满了人骨。 “这究竟有多么古老啊？” “一百年或两百年——不，还要更久。按照目前这个阶段不能作出任何断言。” 奇斯瓦特盯着黑色的祭坛。 “如果从蛇王撒哈克败给英雄王凯·霍斯洛那时算起的话，已经有三百多年之久了。” “那段时间里一直他们一直都潜伏在王都的地下——？” 萨拉邦特咽着口水，本人也发出了惊讶的声音。士兵们的影子在火把的火焰之下摇动着，那就像是怪物一样映射在了墙壁上。红色和黑色的波浪在视野中扩展着，想要平静下来是件很困难的事情。 “大将军刚刚说到神殿，那样的话就应该有祭司啊。可是所见之处似乎并没有人的身影。” “跑掉了，或是躲起来了吧。” “如果躲了起来，就有可能在窥视着我们的举动，一旦发现空隙就会袭击过来吧？” 就像是被这个声音呼喊起来的一样。响起了嘈杂的叫声和翅膀声。几十几百个魔影从头顶的黑暗中急速降下。从四方的阴影中也杀出了怪物的群体。 “哦，正如我愿！” 萨拉邦特翻起健壮的手腕，又重又大的锤矛发出了死亡般的鸣叫。 一只头部被击碎的四眼犬摔在了地上，另一只颈部被打折的食尸鬼撞到了墙上。从内脏破裂的怪物的口中向天空喷出了毒血。与此同时还有被火把击中，脸部被火焰灼烧的妖魔痛苦地仰倒在地上。 转眼间就有大约十只在萨拉邦特的脚边痛得打着滚。 “这样的话，就轮不到我出场了。” 苦笑着的奇斯瓦特，双刀划出了银白色的弧线，两只四眼犬的脑袋飞到了空中。鲜血纵横地飞溅着，头颅滚动着，身体摔倒在地上。 接受过奇斯瓦特的训练和实战指挥的士兵们三人为一组互相背靠着背，挥舞着刀枪击毙了一只又一只的怪物。战斗一旦开始的话，赶走恐惧和不安的便是这份精锐。 有一只只剩下一只手的有翼猿鬼，一边喘着粗气一边眺望着人类们的一举一动。黄色的眼睛里，在这时闪出紫红色彩，正是憎恶的象征。不过它似乎并不打算参加到死斗中去，而是躲在了壶和瓶子的阴影中，抑制住了气息。 很快就响起了人类嘹亮的喊声。 “大将军，差不多全都干掉了。” “哦，萨拉邦特卿，你十分漂亮的奋勇战斗，让我感到钦佩啊。” “哪里，与特兰和鲁西达尼亚的精兵相比，这些家伙只是小菜一碟。讨伐后也并不值得自满。” 萨拉邦特大笑着。虽然稍微有一些演技成分，但不管怎么说，都算是自从得知父亲姆瑞鲁的死讯以来，第一次鼓舞了一下心情昏暗的自己吧。 奇斯瓦特用笑容回应着他，将双刀拿在一只手上，另一只空出来的手拍打着年轻巨汉的肩膀。 “真是年轻有为啊。今后也要拜托你了。” 那个笑容突然消失了，取而代之的是锐利的眼神和斥责的声音。 “是谁在那里！？” 一名跟随着大将军的士兵，应着声音扔出了长枪。枪尖击中了一个大壶弹了回来，从那阴影之中滚出了一个异型生物。是一只有翼猿鬼。而且人们看到了，它没有左手。 一只手的有翼猿鬼，发出了悲惨的鸣叫。是没来得及逃跑吧？右手撑在地上，身子匍匐着并且缩着脑袋。它反复地在地上磕着头，举起右手似乎在做恳求的动作。像猿一样丑陋的脸上泛着光泽。粘着泪水，鼻涕和唾液的脸上呈现着恐惧和哀求之色，在可怜地乞讨着生命。 本来打算决不赦免将其杀死的人类们，也一下子失去了气势。面面相觑着。 “反正只是一个小角色。没有杀死的价值。姑且放你一马吧。” 听萨拉邦特这么说，士兵们也都苦笑着收起了刀枪。 一只手的有翼猿鬼发出了叫声。它似乎十分珍惜这条捡回来的命，缩着身体，脸从萨拉邦特这边转了过去，急急忙忙地跑向了黑暗的深处。 头顶上响起一声雷鸣。 将兵们一下子感觉到了。不过，应该是不可能发生的事情。他们身处地底，头顶上还盖着大地这个屋顶，况且那上面还应该有王都的市街。 有什么东西落在了火把的光之中。像是首饰一样，一排排闪闪发光的东西落了下来。那些在士兵们的头和肩膀上弹开着，浸湿了衣服与皮肤。 “是雨。” “别说傻话了！地下怎么会下雨呢？再好好确认一下——” 话语中断了，在一阵窒息般的沉默中，传来了越来越强的水声。 士兵们这才发现了事态的严重性。 沙土和岩石的天花板倒塌了。在天花板上面的是水池或是湖，储存着大量的水。而承载水的底部破裂了。 "Run!" 水就像瀑布一样向士兵们猛扑过来。 轰隆隆的水声，令悲鸣和命令的声音全都消失了。奇斯瓦特和萨拉邦特的全身也都湿透了，火把一个又一个地熄灭着，黑暗支配着一切。 地上的积水已经从脚腕上升到了膝盖，要看着马上就要上升到了腰部，水量正以惊人的速度和趋势增加着。壶和瓶子中积存的液体，与落下的水混合后，发出了一股异臭，但那些也马上变淡了，大量的水吞噬了一切。 “快找个东西抓紧了！不要被冲走！” 尽管是命令十万大军一般的大喝，但水的咆哮还是将其压了过去。瀑布到达地底后卷起漩涡向四方扩散，宝剑随后发现一个倾斜的角度，向一个方向奔流过去。 生者、死者、人类、怪物，全都被凶猛而来的水淹没着、拖入着、举起着、互相碰撞着，冲到了地下的暗黑的河流之中了。 在水中奇斯瓦特扔掉了双刀。随后摘下了头盔，脱掉了盔甲。在作出这些行动的期间，有五、六次都被迫在水中回转着。他令身体变轻了，就可以在水势的作用上上升着。 在肺部马上就要变空之前，重要将脸探出了水面。随后便张开大嘴贪婪地换着气。很多水的飞沫也溅到了那张嘴中。 “奇斯瓦特卿，大将军，你在哪里！？” 好像是萨拉邦特在大声地叫着吧，可是由于那声音消失在了轰鸣的水声之中，谁都没能听见。 不知不觉头顶上面变得明亮了。现在正值白昼，这也算是一种幸运。 而地上，就是王都的城外，闪现着异样的光景。直径约为二阿马吉的贮水池底部破裂，发出雷鸣般声音的同时水也向地底流去了。那痕迹已经化为了凹陷的泥泞。从泥水之中爬出了什么，东倒西歪地站起了身子。 “古尔干，喂，古尔干，你在哪里？” 嘶哑的声音向水底传去。正确地说，应该是水底的某个地方。满身是泥和水的男人穿着一件暗灰色的衣服，好像忌讳阳关一样举起手将脸的上半部分遮住了。 “古尔干，喂，被水淹死了吗？那样的话，真是个愚蠢的家伙。” 他的样子似乎并不想要悼念伙伴，身穿暗灰色衣服飞魔道士稍稍翻了一下手腕，用细长的眼睛环顾着周围。 “看到了吗看到了吗？没有信仰的家伙。反抗蛇王撒哈克的家伙，都会有这种下场。明白了吧，明白了吧？” 他发出了狂笑。暗灰色的衣服上全是水，又黑又重地包裹着身体，不过那对魔道士根迪来说就像是一件羽衣。 一边咒骂着刺眼的阳光，魔道士一边开始从泥泞中向坚硬的地面上走去。不过刚走了三、四步就愕然地停下了。他发现在硬地上伫立着一个男人。 “笑完了吗？” 这么喊着的男人穿的不是暗灰色的衣服，而是一身全黑。只不过，披风的内侧是血红色的。他慢慢地拔出了长剑，剑刃上反射着微弱的阳光，突然又发出了强有力的白金色的光芒。 “这是你生命中最后的笑声了。所以我会等到你笑完再动手的，已经可以了吧？” 黑衣的男人，也就是达龙，在凿石场的大块岩石上，听到了雷鸣般的怪声。于是就登到了高处，向声音的方向望去，发现了附近的贮水池中发生了异变。之后立刻骑马赶来，每走一步都要从葡萄酒的醉意中清醒过来一点，最终发现了正要逃亡的魔道士。 “我的心情不太好。你要是反抗的话就斩了你。跑的话也斩你。” "—" “不想死的话，就快投降吧！我到现在，已经杀死过好几个比你还要强很多的战士。对于杀死蛇王的眷属，是不会有所迟疑的。” 达龙向前走着。那是与“猛虎将军”这个外号相称的，既优雅又危险的一步。 魔道士转过身子，但转过的一瞬间就冻结住了。他在刺眼的阳光下看到的，是一个叼着吹矢筒的武士。他当然不知道，那就是击碎他同伙格治达哈姆右眼的男人，不过仅凭杀气就可以充分地感觉到了。 发出了一声怪叫，魔道士的身子飘舞到了空中。for a moment.剑光倾斜地一闪，达龙的脚下响起了令人不快的湿漉漉的声音。 魔道士的身体被击落在泥泞之中了。 飞散出来的鲜血只有一点点。因为达龙只用了长剑的尖端。只是一闪，从左向右挥了一下，达龙就将魔道士双腿的肌腱切断了。魔道士抬起了满是泥泞、屈辱和痛苦的脸，想爬都爬不动，只能算是挣扎着。 “不杀了他吗？达龙卿。” 吉姆萨走了过来，问道。 “我觉得还是留个活口让他说点什么比较好吧。” “我看不出来这是一个肯老老实实说话的男人。” “我也这么想，不过说不说都无所谓。” 达龙将长剑收到了剑鞘中。脸颊下还残留着一丝红光，那正是显示着他的醉意。而吉姆萨似乎不胜酒力，收起吹矢筒后，用手掌拍打了有些发热的脸颊两、三下。 “不放了那个家伙的话，他的同伙们不会在各地发起骚动，杀人放火吗？” “蛇王的眷属中可没有那么看重友谊的家伙。我刚刚还听到这个家伙咒骂同伙的话呢。” “那么这样一来的话——” 吉姆萨轻轻地低下了头，毫无一丝同情地看着痛苦的魔道士。 “亲王伊尔特里休和我交战的时候，有一个恬不知耻地凑热闹的魔道士。那家伙的右眼，被我用吹矢击碎了，可是这个家伙好像双眼都在。” 辛辣的笑声装饰着吉姆萨的嘴角。 “会不会是再生了呢？现在让我弄瞎一只，来确认一下到底能不能再生也可以吧——” “不要太过粗暴。因为他还能派上用场呢。” “怎么用？” “蛇王撒哈克的眷属被生擒，并接受了审问。这样昭告天下的话就行了。” "Oh--" “这样做的话，为了封住他的嘴，这家伙的同伙就会来了。然后将他们一网打尽。怎么样？” “原来如此，当作诱饵啊。” 感到佩服的吉姆萨点着头。达龙继续说道。 “或者，即使什么都不做也可以。到了那个时候，为了对背叛者加以制裁，他的同伙还是会来。结果是一样的。”达龙轻轻地眯着眼睛。在泥泞的各个地方，发现了很多蠢蠢欲动的什么东西。好像是浑身都是泥手舞足蹈的人类们。 “我还有一个一肚子智慧的朋友呢。这之后的事情，就让他来考虑好了。” 黑衣的骑士挥舞着一只手呼喊着部下士兵们。 受伤的魔道士根迪，并没有得到宾客一般的待遇。双腿被涂上药缠上绷带后，就让他的嘴咬着一块板子，并用皮绳把他捆了起来。这是为了防止他咬舌自杀。他的眼睛被蒙了起来，两手也被扭到了身后，每根手指都用皮绳绑住了。正要运送他时，达龙听到了一个终于从泥泞之中爬了出来的人影走进的声音。 “这是，大将军，平安无事比什么都强啊。”达龙本想嘲弄一下奇斯瓦特，但他还是抑制住了。奇斯瓦特在水中弄失了双刀，好不容易发现的地下神殿也被水淹没了。阴谋和犯罪的证据尽管很大，但也全都在水中。 有翼猿鬼、食尸鬼、四眼犬，一共杀了三百只左右的怪物，可是那种程度的功劳也不能引以为豪。己方也并不是无伤而返。 在水中溺死的尸体被发现了的有十八人，冲走的行踪不明的有十六人。出现了合计三十四人的牺牲者。在这件预想之外的事件上，作为奇斯瓦特也不能不责备自己。 没过多久萨拉邦特也爬出来了，于是奇斯瓦特立刻回到了家中，匆忙地进行完洗澡更衣后，与其他三名将领一起直奔王宫，报告事情的经过。在亚尔斯兰身旁的那尔撒斯说道。 “——把整个贮水池损坏了。真是不成样子的局面啊。” “在那个方面，请不用担心。因为水池还有余力，所以只要把水调过来的话就足以补上了。” 听奇斯瓦特这么一说，一旁的萨拉邦特禀告说。 “只是，为了完成应急的工事有必要建一条水路。这要是使用砖瓦的话，也要花上一年的时间才能完成。所以请将一年之内修复贮水池，令其恢复原状的任务交给我萨拉邦特吧。” 亚尔斯兰点了点头，对牺牲者的葬礼和引水后地下神殿的搜索进行了一番指示后，便让两个人回去了。 “萨拉邦特卿，好像感觉到他的力气又回来了。” “这是一件很好的事情。身体那么庞大的男人垂头丧气的话，也会让周围的人沉闷的。” 这真符合那尔撒斯的说话方式。达龙轻轻地摇着头。 “好不容易发现了妖魔们的根据地，却中了意外的圈套。” “关于贮水池和水路，还要进一步加强警戒。如果被投毒的话就笑不出来了。” “抓回来的魔道士怎么处置？” “是啊，嗯，到了明天在考虑吧。” 达龙和吉姆萨为了去帮忙奇斯瓦特退去了，就像替换一样出现了一名使者，递给那尔撒斯一封书信。 “好消息！” 那尔撒斯读了一遍点了点头，将一个七宝细工一样的文房四宝箱拉到了手边。王宫内的副宰相职务室中有着万卷书籍，也集齐了异国渡来的文房四宝，只是这时那尔撒斯没有画画而是在写字。 “发生什么事情了吗？那尔撒斯大人。” “是耶拉姆吗？这是从东北国境传来的消息。进入七月后，好像有几个邱尔克兵组成的小集团在徘徊