Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Raid

Pug straddled slowly, silent. Riding a horse slowly on the steep cliff overlooking the sea, the breeze brings the fragrance of flowers head-on, and the rustling of branches in the forest in the east can be faintly heard in my ears.The summer sun makes the sea surface hazy, seagulls swim above the white waves, and from time to time they dive down to the sea surface to hunt for food, and groups of white clouds drift slowly across the zenith. Looking at the back of the princess riding on the white pony, Pug couldn't help recalling the scene this morning: he waited in the stable for nearly two hours, and finally saw the princess and his father appear.The duke began to lecture him at length, telling him of the responsibilities of a gentleman to keep a lady safe, and Pug listened obediently to the duke's long passage of the lesson that Aigon had given him the night before.The chief jockey trained him intensively for a week, and now he finally reluctantly agreed to Pug to be the princess' companion.

Pug rode out of the city gates after the princess, his head lightly reveling in his unexpected good fortune.Even though he was so excited that he couldn't sleep all night, he was still full of energy and joy. And now, childish adoration has turned into total disillusionment.The princess refused to answer any of his polite conversations, and refused to utter a word except to command him.Her tone was arrogant and unreasonable, even though Pug had politely reminded the princess several times that his name was Pug, the princess still insisted on calling him "little manservant" and called him all the way.She behaved like the arrogant ladies in the palace, like a spoiled and impertinent little watch.

Pug felt uncomfortable at first on the old gray horse chosen for his skill.This old mare has a gentle temper, and it seems that she will not run around unless she is stimulated. Pug was wearing a bright red top today, even though it was Kagan's special choice for him, but compared with the princess, he still felt dwarfed by comparison.The princess is dressed in a simple and elegant horse outfit with yellow and black borders, and a well-matched hat on her head.Even though she was on the saddle side, it seemed to Pug that the princess was born to ride.In contrast, Pug felt as if he was driving a horse to plow the field. The mare would stop automatically after walking a few steps, gnawing the weeds on the ground and the shrubs on the roadside.No matter how hard Pug kicked it, it still walked and stopped in its own way, unlike the princess's well-trained horse, which would respond obediently as soon as the owner whipped the whip.Pug drove the old horse forward with his new-found skill and indomitable perseverance, while the princess rode in front without paying attention.

Pug was beginning to feel a little hungry, his earlier romantic fantasies having been completely defeated by the hungry appetite of an ordinary fifteen-year-old boy.As they rode out into the country, Pug's thoughts became more and more concentrated on the lunch basket hanging by his saddle.Hundreds of centuries later—at least that's what Pug thought—the princess suddenly turned to him and asked, "What have you learned, little man?" The silence along the way made Pug frightened by the sudden question, and he stammered his answer: "I... I am Master Kagan's apprentice."

Master Bao stared at him with a weird look, as if he saw a fly crawling across the dinner plate. "Oh, so you are that guy." The momentary interest was swept away immediately, and she turned her head and continued riding forward.After a while, the princess said: "Little servant, let's stop here to rest." Pug hurriedly stopped the horse, and before he had time to get off the horse and rushed over, the princess had already dismounted dexterously by herself. The etiquette that Aigon taught him to hold Lord Bao's hand and help her dismount was completely useless.The princess handed him the reins of her horse, and walked alone to the edge of the cliff.

Master Bao stared at the sea quietly for about a minute, then asked directly without turning his head to look at Pug, "Do you think I'm pretty?" Pug stood there dumbfounded, not knowing how to answer.The princess turned and looked at him, "Huh?" Pug said, "Yes, Your Majesty." "Is it beautiful?" "Yes, Your Highness. Very beautiful." Master Bao pondered for a while, and then turned his head to look at the sea under the cliff. "Little servant, do you understand? Beauty is very important to me. Ms. Mana said that I must be the most beautiful lady in the whole kingdom, because in the future I will marry a powerful husband, only the whole kingdom The most beautiful people are worthy of it. And those who are not very good-looking can only agree to anyone's pursuit. She said that I will have many admirers in the future, because my father is a very important person." After finishing speaking, the princess turned to face Pug again. For a brief moment, Pug seemed to see a trace of sadness on her beautiful face. "Have you many friends, valet?"

Pug shrugged and replied, "There are some, Your Highness." She stared at Pug for a moment before saying, "That must be good," and brushing away a strand of hair that had slipped from the brim of her hat.At this moment, she seemed to be very lonely inside, which made Pug blush and heartbeat.Obviously, the princess also noticed the change in his expression, returning to his original solemn figure from deep thought, his eyes became indifferent and sharp."Here we dine," she ordered in the coldest and most indifferent tone. Pug quickly tied up the horse, brought the lunch basket, laid it on the ground, and opened it.

Master Pao came over and said coldly: "I can do it myself, little manservant. I don't want some clumsy guy knocking over and ruining my meal and drink." Pug had to take a few steps back, watching The princess opened the lunch box.The rich aroma of cheese and bread wafted out, mercilessly attacking his mouth and nose, making him salivate and hungry. Lord Bao looked up at him, "Take the horses for a walk on the hillside and let them drink some water by the river. I will call you when I finish my meal, and you can eat when we ride back." Pao Ge Qiang suppressed the wailing in his heart, reluctantly grabbed the rein and led the horse away.He kicked the stones on the ground randomly along the road, feeling ups and downs and conflicts in his heart.Pug knew he shouldn't leave the princess, but he couldn't disobey her orders.He thought that there were no people nearby anyway, and it was so far away from the forest, so there shouldn't be any problems for a while.What's more, he himself is very happy to have the opportunity to temporarily avoid the arrogant Princess Karin.

Walking to the small river, he took off the saddles, took out a brush and gently scrubbed them a few times.The pony the princess rode was well-trained and would not run wild, and the old horse he rode seemed too lazy to walk around, so he didn't bother to fasten the reins, and let them graze and drink freely by the river. He found a comfortable place to sit and rest.Recalling the situation this morning, the more he thought about it, the more he couldn't understand. Although Karin was still the most charming girl he had ever seen, her arrogant attitude quickly dispelled his fascination with Karin.Now what he cares most about is no longer the reaction of the lover in his dreams, but his hungry stomach rumbling.He thought, maybe real love is much more complicated than he imagined.

After thinking about it for a while, he began to feel a little bored, so he decided to go to the river to look for stones.I haven't had much chance to practice my slingshot lately, and now is the best time to do it.He found a few pebbles, took out his slingshot and started shooting at the bushes not far away, scaring away a group of birds that roosted inside.Pug hit several chokeberry clumps and only missed one out of six shots. Seeing that his technique had not deteriorated much, he put the slingshot back on his belt contentedly.Then I found a few particularly useful round stones by the river, picked them up along the way and put them in the small bag on my waist.After wandering around for a while, he felt that the princess should have finished her lunch soon, and started to walk back to the place where the horses were grazing, intending to put the saddle on first, so that as soon as the princess ordered, he could get everything ready immediately.Just as he was getting to the princess' pony, he heard a shrill scream from the other side of the hill.He dropped his saddle and ran to the top of the slope to find out.Pug rushed up to the top of the slope, but what he saw made him stop in terror, his body horrified.

Master Bao was running wildly, with two trolls chasing after her.Trolls were rarely seen at such a distance, and Pug hadn't expected such an accident.Trolls are stocky, humanoid monsters with long, thick arms that almost touch the ground.They run on all fours like a funny ape, but their whole body is covered with long gray hair, and their fangs are exposed outside their mouths.Trolls seldom attack groups of people, but occasionally attack lone travelers. Pug hesitated for a moment, took out the slingshot and the stone and rushed straight down the hillside.When the monster almost caught up with the princess, he aimed at the slingshot and shot a stone, which hit the head of the troll in front of him, so that it fell to the ground and rolled around, and the one behind was also smashed into a ball.Pug paused and waited for them to get up, hoping their attention would shift from Karin to himself.The two trolls roared in unison and began to charge at Pug angrily.Pug hurried back up the hillside, thinking that if he could run back to where the horse rested, he would be able to mount his horse and outrun the monster, then turn back to fetch the princess, and they would both be safe from here.Pug looked back, and there were indeed two trolls chasing after him, their exposed fangs gleamed coldly, and their sharp long claws scratched the ground.Being downwind, Pug could even smell a foul body odor as thick as rotting flesh. Out of breath, Pug ran up to the top of the hill, and when he saw it, he felt a chill in his heart—the horse had crossed the creek, nearly twenty yards further than he had estimated.He hastened to rush over, praying that the extra distance wouldn't cost him his life. Pug ran full speed to the river, the troll roaring after him.Although the current is not deep, it will still hinder his escape speed to some extent. Just as he was wading across the river at full speed, he kicked a stone impatiently, and he lost his center of gravity and fell forward. Instinctively, he stretched out his hands to protect himself, while throwing his head back so as not to choke on the water.Pug struggled to get up, but the painful palms were unable to support his body, causing him to fall into the water again.Looking back in panic, the troll had chased to the water's edge, screaming, as if appreciating Pug's embarrassment.Pug fell into terrified fear. With his numb fingers, he frantically took out stones and slingshots, but when he missed them, they all fell into the river and were washed away by the water.Without his only weapon, Pug lay helpless in the river, a shriek gathering strength in his throat. Just when the troll started wading towards him, a burst of light flashed from the bottom of Pug's eyes, and the severe pain of tearing flesh and bones suddenly slashed across his forehead, and the bright gray characters began to appear one after another. before his eyes.Pug was no stranger to these strange symbols, and recognized it as a magical scroll that Kagan had shown him several times.Without even thinking about it, he intuitively uttered the mantras aloud, and every single word faded from his mind as he recited them. After chanting the last incantation, there was a loud noise in front of Pug, and the severe pain in his head stopped.Opening his eyes, he saw the troll was struggling endlessly in the water, his eyes were bloodshot, his whole body was trembling in pain, and he was screaming crazily. Pug struggled to climb to the bank of the river, and looked back to see the two trolls still trapped in the river, dancing their limbs and coughing non-stop.After a while, one of them shook a few times, then fell face down in the river without moving.The other troll lasted several minutes longer before dying, and like his companion, was unable to lift his head out of the water and drowned in the creek. Pug, limp and dizzy, turned around and walked across the creek in the direction he had come from.There was a blank in my heart, and everything in front of me seemed hazy and irrelevant.After walking a few steps, he remembered the matter of the horse, but looking around, he couldn't find any trace of the horse.The two horses probably smelled the troll and fled to safety. Pug continued to walk to the place where the princess was just now. He climbed up to the top of the hill and looked around, but the princess had disappeared, so he started to walk towards the overturned dining basket.Pug couldn't think of anything now, only that he was starving to death.Although he himself knew that he had to think of something quickly, the only thing he could think clearly about right now was food, food, food. Sitting down on the ground, he grabbed a large piece of cheese and stuffed it into his mouth. Seeing half a bottle of wine overturned beside him, he picked up the wine bottle and swallowed it together with the cheese.The delicious cheese and appetizing white wine revived him, and his thoughts gradually became clear.He tore off a piece of bread and put it in his mouth, thinking about what had just happened while eating.Only then did he suddenly remember that he had successfully cast a spell, and what was even more miraculous was that he managed to get the spell out without using magic books, scrolls, or any magic tools.Pug wasn't quite sure what was going on, except that it all seemed different from what he'd been taught.Then his head began to feel dizzy again, and he was so tired that he just wanted to lie down and have a good sleep.While he was chewing the bread, a thought flashed through his drowsy head like lightning—Princess Karin! !Pug jumped up hastily, and when he was less dizzy, he hurriedly grabbed a piece of bread and a wine bottle, and rushed to the place where he saw the princess for the last time. Even though his legs were sore, he forced himself to quicken his pace. .After a few minutes, his mind became more clear, and he began to call the princess's name loudly.Hearing a low cry from behind a bush, Pug hurried over to push the bush away, and found that the princess was indeed hiding behind the tree.Her eyes were wide open in fright from the troll who was chasing her just now, her fists were tightly clenched in front of her chest, the clothes on her body were scratched by branches in many places, and they were also covered with mud on the ground.Startled by Pug's presence, she jumped up and into Pug's arms, pressing her head against his chest.Karin clutched Pug's blouse with both hands and began to sob loudly, shaking her whole body.Pug stood motionless, with his arms outstretched, holding the wine bottle and the bread respectively.He didn't know what to do. He clumsily wrapped his arms around the terrified Karin and comforted her, saying, "It's all right, they're all dead. You're safe now." Karin hugged Pug for a while, and when the tears stopped, she took a step back and stood away.She took a breath to stabilize her emotions, and then said: "I thought they killed you, and they are coming back to catch me." Never had Pug been in such an embarrassing situation, having just passed through the most tragic and dangerous situation of his life, and then immediately faced with an encounter that dazzled him.Without thinking, he reached out and hugged the princess in his arms, surprised that the feeling of hugging was not so soft and pleasant.In Pug's heart, a manly desire to protect her arose spontaneously, and he unconsciously took a step closer to the princess. But the princess took a step back, as if she also noticed the change in Pug's mood.No matter what kind of education and court etiquette training she has received, she is still only a fifteen-year-old young girl who doesn't know how to deal with the emotional feeling of Pug holding her.So Karin had no choice but to use her most familiar identity—Princess Clyde's identity—to hide herself.She began to put on airs, and said coldly: "Little servant, I'm glad to see that you're okay." Pug's stinging and displeased expression was obvious, but the princess still tried her best to show the superiority of a nobleman, but she cried red Her eyes and tear-soaked cheeks seemed unable to hide the gaffe just now. "Find my mount, and we will return to the castle immediately." Pug's temper was about to lose control, he tried his best to suppress his displeasure, and replied: "I'm sorry, Your Royal Highness. Your mount has run away, I'm afraid we'll have to walk back. " Karin felt outraged. Although the accident that happened in the afternoon was not Pug's fault, her spoiled princess temper was still desperate to put the blame on Pug. "Walk! I can't just walk all the way back!" she blurted out, keeping her eyes on Pug as if he were rightfully responsible for the incident. Pug felt that all the anger, confusion, pain, and frustration he had had for the day were about to burst out all at once. "Then you can just sit here and wait until someone finds you missing, and then send someone to pick you up!" He couldn't help shouting, "It won't be possible until at least two hours after sunset." Karin took a step back, her face livid, as if she had been slapped.Her lower lip quivered, and tears began to pool in her eye sockets. "You servant, I don't allow you to talk to me in this tone!" Pug's eyes widened, and he took a step towards her, waving the bottle in his right hand angrily. "I was almost killed for saving you!" he yelled. "Did I hear any thanks? No! All I heard were dull complaints that you couldn't walk, couldn't walk back to the castle. Maybe we were born It's cheap, but at least we're still polite, and we know how to say thank you!" All Pug's anger surged out. "You can sit here and wait as you like, but I have to go..." He suddenly realized that his posture was ridiculous, holding the wine bottle in his right hand and raising it high, while the princess stared at the wine bottle he held in his hand yesterday. The bread on his waist, and the circle between his index finger and thumb made his appearance even more comical.He stammered for a moment, then put down the bottle, and all anger went with it.The princess covered her face with her hands and stared at him through her fingers.Pug thought the princess was frightened by him, and was about to say something to comfort her, but found that the princess was laughing.Her laughter was as sweet as a silver bell, without any hint of ridicule at all. "I'm sorry, Pug." She laughed as she said, "But you looked really stupid just now, like those statues in Krondor City, except that you held a wine bottle in your hand, not a sword." Pug shook his head. "I'm the one who should apologize, Your Highness. I shouldn't have yelled at you so rudely, please forgive me." Her expression suddenly became very considerate. "No, Pug. You have every right to call me a curse. I do owe you my life, and my attitude really sucks." She moved closer to Pug and held him hand, and sincerely said, "Thank you." Karin's pretty face completely occupied Pug's sight.All attempts to dislodge his youthful fantasies of love had vanished with the breeze of the moment; and the joy of wonder at his successful use of magic had been replaced by the eagerness of the moment.He leaned towards Karin, but suddenly remembered his identity in disappointment, quickly picked up the wine bottle awkwardly, and asked, "Want to drink?" Seeing Pug's sudden change of clumsy behavior, the princess couldn't help laughing.They were both a little bewildered by the ordeal, but at least the princess was behaving fairly normally, and understood the power she had over the boy in front of her.She nodded, took a sip from the bottle.Pug regained his composure and said to her, "We'd better get going, maybe we can make it back to the castle by night." Karin nodded, still staring at him, and smiled at him.Pug felt uncomfortable being watched by her, so he turned to face the direction of the castle. "Ah... let's go quickly." Karin followed Pug. After walking for a while, she suddenly asked, "Pug, may I have some bread?" Pug had walked the distance from the cliff to the castle many times before, but the princess had not traveled such a distance, and the soft-soled riding boots she wore were not suitable for long distances.When they saw the castle, the princess was limping with exhaustion, and had to put her hand on Pug's shoulder to walk. When the guards on the tower saw the two of them approaching, they shouted loudly to inform the people below. A group of guards rushed towards them, and the princess's teacher, Ms. Mana, followed anxiously.She grabbed the red skirt and ran towards the princess. Although she was twice the size of the average lady—and also twice the size of a few guards, she gradually overtook the guards and ran ahead anxiously. , like a mother bear who sees her cubs being attacked.Her plump breasts rose and swayed as she ran, she rushed over and pushed Pug away, and hugged Karin tightly, almost completely enveloping Karin.After a while, the ladies in the city surrounded the princess, asking her what happened.In the midst of the commotion, Mana turned around suddenly and glared at Pug fiercely like a female bear. "Bold fellow! How dare you make the princess come back limp and dirty like this. I will have you whipped from the east to the west of the castle. Before I punish you Before it is enough for you, it is best to pray that the sun of tomorrow will never appear in front of your eyes." Ever since he encountered those two trolls, Pug's head had been in a daze. Now that he was suddenly surrounded by so many people, he didn't know what to say for a moment.After hearing Mana's harsh words, one of the guards believed that Pug was the culprit of the princess's embarrassment, and held on to Pug's arm tightly. "Let him go!" Everyone fell silent, Karin pushed aside the crowd and walked to Pug with Mana, and punched the guard with her little hand.The guard let go of Pug quickly, and stepped back in shock. "He was my savior! He almost killed himself trying to save me." Tears started streaming down her cheeks. "He did nothing wrong, I won't allow you to bully him. The people around gathered around and began to look at Pug with a new kind of respect. Everyone whispered, and one of the soldiers hurried back to the castle to inform the Duke. The princess put her hand on Pug's shoulder, and the two Starting to walk towards the city gate, the crowd of onlookers gave way to both sides. The two tired young men could see that the city wall was covered with torches and oil lamps. When they reached the square in front of the gate, the princess Has agreed to the request of the two maids, let them help her move forward. This action made Pug greatly relieved. He couldn't believe that such a girl who looked so thin could be such a heavy burden.When the Duke received the news that the princess was returning to the city, he hurried out to pick her up.He hugged his daughter tightly and started asking her what happened.Curious onlookers gathered around Pug, so that Pug couldn't see the Duke and Princess for a while.He just wanted to go back to the magician's tower and have a good rest, but everyone surrounded him so enthusiastically that he couldn't get away. "Is there nothing else for you to do?" came a growl. Everyone looked back and saw Fanon, the swordsman, coming, and Thomas followed closely behind him.Everyone left quickly, leaving only Pug standing in front of Fanon in the square, Thomas and those officials who were high enough to ignore Fanon's orders.Pug could see the Princess talking to her father, Lion, Arrusha, and Ser Roland.Fanon asked him, "Little guy, what happened?" Just as Pug was about to answer, the Duke and his sons came over.Kagan noticed the commotion in the square, followed behind the Duke, and came to see what happened.When the Duke came, everyone bowed to the Duke, and Pug also saw the princess break free from Roland's entanglement, followed her father, and then stood beside Pug.Ms. Mana looked up to the sky helplessly, and Roland, who came over from the attendant, saw the princess's appearance, and showed a shocked expression on his face.Especially when she saw the princess holding Pug's hand, his expression changed from original surprise to displeased jealousy. Bao Jue said: "My daughter has told me about your outstanding performance today. Little boy, I hope to hear what you have to say." Pug suddenly became aware of the situation in front of him, and gently moved his palm The princess withdrew her hand and began to tell what happened today, while Karin was beside her from time to time adding fuel and explanations.After listening to the statements of the two of them, the Duke finally had a comprehensive understanding of today's accident.When Pug had finished speaking, Lord Barrick asked: "Pug, how did those two trolls drown in the water?" Pug looked a little uncomfortable. "I cast a spell on them so that they cannot cross the water to the shore." said Pug quietly.He was still a little confused about his actions, not to mention that with the charming princess next to him, he couldn't calm down and think about it.Pug saw the surprised look on Kagan's face, and when he was about to say something more, the Duke cut him off. "Pug, I really can't repay you for your efforts to my dearest family, but I will find a way to arrange appropriate rewards to thank you for your outstanding courage." After hearing this, Karin happily threw herself into Pag. Greg's arms, hugging him tightly.Pug stood there in embarrassment, looking around in bewilderment, as if to tell everyone that the princess's affectionate behavior had nothing to do with him. Seeing that Ms. Mana almost passed out, the Duke deliberately coughed a few times and nodded to indicate that his daughter should go back to the room to rest.When she left with Teacher Mana, Kagan and Fanon both looked at Pug with undisguised smiles, while Ryan and Arusha snickered.But Roland was full of displeasure, glared at Pug, then turned around and walked back to his room.The Duke said to Kagan: "Take this little boy back to his own room. He looks exhausted. I will order the servants to bring the food. After breakfast tomorrow, ask him to meet me in the hall." He turned to Pug, said, "Once again, I thank you for your efforts and dedication," and bade the two princes go with him.Thomas couldn't wait to chat with his friend. Fanon grabbed Thomas' elbow and motioned for Thomas to leave with him and let Pug rest.Thomas nodded, suppressing thousands of questions that were eager to blurt out in his mind, and followed Fanon back to the camp. After everyone had left, Kagan reached out and patted Pug on the shoulder. "Come on, Pug. I see you are tired too, and we have a lot to talk about." Pug lay listlessly on the bed, with the leftovers of dinner lying on the tray beside him, never feeling so tired.Kagan paced the room. "This is unbelievable!" He waved his right hand excitedly, and the red robe draped over his fat body shook like water waves. "You say you close your eyes, and the contents of the scroll you read a few weeks ago, start to play in your mind. Then you say the spell out loud, as if holding the scroll in your hand, and then the troll goes It fell down. It's unbelievable." He went to sit on the stool by the window, and continued, "Pug, this kind of thing never happened. Do you know what you did today?" Pug awoke from a warm sleep and looked at the magician. "Kagan, I just did what I told you." "Yes, but do you know what this means?" "have no idea." "I don't know." Kagan's excitement suddenly disappeared in one breath, replaced by a sense of uncertainty that he didn't know why.He slumped on the stool like a deflated ball, "I have no idea what the point of this is. But magicians can't just throw spells with their heads, and those temple priests can, but that's because They use a whole different set of magic. Do you remember what I taught you about the focus of magic, Pug?" Pug frowned, he was really not in the mood to review those lessons, but he forced himself to sit up straight, and replied: "Anyone who intends to use magic power must find a cohesive focus for the magic power he uses. Priests of the priesthood gather the power of magic through prayer, and their incantations are the chants of another prayer.Magicians, on the other hand, use the posture of their bodies, instruments, or books and scrolls as the focus of mana concentration. " "Yes," continued Kagan, "but you violated this accepted rule today." He took out his pipe and began filling it absently. "The spell you cast today cannot use your own body as the focus of mana concentration. The effect of this spell is to cause extreme pain on others. This spell is a very powerful weapon, but When casting this spell, you can only cast the power of the spell by reading the scroll that records the spell. Do you know why?" Pug propped up his heavy eyelids, and replied: "Let the scroll become a cohesion of mana. hot spot." "Yes. The power of some spells can be stored in the magician's own body, such as transforming into the shape of an animal, or smelling changes in the climate, etc., all of which are true. But if you want to use the magic power outside the body , or cast it on something else, you need an external focus. If you cast the mantra of this spell directly from memory, as you do today, if the spell succeeds like this, then you will suffer extremely The object of the pain should not be the two trolls, but yourself. This is why magicians need scrolls, magic books, or other magic tools. Because this is the only way to condense this type of mana in your own body. Outside the body, protect your body from direct damage. Until today, I have never heard of someone who can cast this spell with bare hands without using a scroll." Kagan leaned against the window, smoking his pipe thoughtfully, staring out at the night sky.After a while, he said softly: "You seem to have discovered a brand new magic form." He didn't hear any response, so he turned his head and found that Pug had fallen into a deep sleep.He shook his head in surprise, went to pull up the quilt to cover Pug, then blew out the oil lamp on the wall, and went out.When he climbed the stairs and walked back to his room, he shook his head and couldn't help saying: "This is incredible!" Pug waited quietly in the hall for the Duke to end today's audience.Almost all the people in the town and city who are eligible to enter this hall are present today.Looking around, the hall is full of well-dressed craftsmen, wealthy businessmen, and some Xiaobin people.Everyone's eyes were on Pug, some looked at him with admiration and admiration, while others looked at him with contempt and suspicion.Just overnight, Pug's heroic deeds yesterday had spread throughout Clyde, and they would inevitably be embellished and greatly exaggerated.Pug was wearing brand new clothes, which had been in his room when he got up this morning.Putting on this handsome new suit made him feel even more uncomfortable, and he didn't know how to respond later.This suit is matched with a bright yellow top and light blue trousers, and the material is the most expensive silk cloth. His toes were wiggling in the boots, and this was the first time he had had the chance to wear leather boots, and it felt very awkward to walk.A gem-encrusted dagger hung from his waist, and the top of the black belt was shaped like a golden seagull in flight.Pug guessed in his mind that this suit should be the old clothes that the two princes had worn before, and they would put them away when they couldn't wear them anymore.In any case, Pug thought the suit was very original and attractive. Bob's morning meeting was coming to an end, and he was now listening to a representative of the shipyard, hoping that the Duke would send guards to escort their logging team into the big forest to collect wood.The Duke of Barrick was dressed in black, as usual, and his children in their best formal attire.Lion was in his father's presence, listening carefully to what was being discussed, while Roland stood behind him, according to court tradition.Yarusha seemed to be in a surprisingly good mood, and was so amused by a certain joke made by Father Tuli that he had to stretch out his hand to cover his smile.Princess Karin sat quietly beside her, with a gentle smile on her face, staring at Pug intently.Her actions not only made Pug more nervous, but also made Roland's eyes more resentful. Bao Jue finally agreed to send a group of soldiers to escort the masters into the forest.The master on behalf of the shipyard bowed to the duke and retreated to the others.Now, only Pug stood alone in front of the Duke.Following the instructions Kagan taught him, he took a few steps forward and bowed to Duke Clement. Although his movements were a little stiff, he did not make a mistake.Barrick smiled at him, and then motioned for Father Li to come out.The priest took out a document from the wide sleeve of his robe and handed it to the herald standing aside.The herald stepped forward, and opened the scroll. He read the Duke's proclamation aloud: "I hereby tell the subjects of Clyde that Pug, a young man under Clyde's supervision, guarded the royal princess Karin with incomparable courage, regardless of the safety of his body and life.吾人深感此恩难报，特此宣告天下，赞扬其勇气、智慧与忠诚之表现。并宣示其为吾挚爱之臣子，谨此授与爵士（Squire）之称谓，以及应享之权力与特许。 并谨此宣告天下，将林深区（ForestDeep）之封地，授与帕格及其永世后代之子嗣。此封地将暂由皇室代管，待其届满成年之后，再行归还。吾，巴瑞克．康多恩，第三任克莱第公爵，艾尔王国之王子，克莱第、卡斯与图蓝之领主，蚊挫之守护者，国王麾下之骑士上将，瑞兰诺王座之法定继承人，于今日，亲手亲印谨此昭告。 " 帕格双腿一软，差点就跪倒在原地。整个大厅响起一片欢呼，人们开始朝他靠拢，拍拍他的后背，向他道贺恭喜。他现在已经成了一名爵士，不仅有了地产，还有仆人、房屋、跟牲口。而这意思也就是说，他有钱了─至少三年后是如此。虽然只要年满十四岁就被认定是艾尔王国的法定公民，但是土地所有权与其他特许，却要等到年满十八才具有独立行使的权力。公爵朝他走了过来，众人开始退开，而他的家人跟罗兰爵士则跟在他身后。两位王子都面带喜色看著他，公主更是格外地兴奋雀跃。罗兰则是对帕格苦笑，一副不敢相信的样子。 “公爵阁下，我感到万分荣幸。”他结结巴巴地回答，“我真不知该说些什么。” “那就什么也不用说。帕格，当大家都开口讲不停的时候，闭上嘴有时候反而会让你看来更有智慧。来，坐吧，我们得要好好谈一谈。”公爵吩咐一旁的侍仆拿张椅子摆到他座位旁边，伸手搭住帕格的肩膀，陪他走过两侧的人群。 鲍爵回到座位上，对大家说：“今天的朝见到此为止，诸位可以退席了。我希望能跟爵士私下谈一谈。”四周的人发出失望的叹息，但还是开始依序离开大厅。 “你们两位请留下来。”公爵加了这么一句，右手指著卡根与图力。卡琳站在他父亲的座位旁边，罗兰则站在她身边，迟疑该不该离去。“乖女儿，你也一样。先离开吧。” 卡琳正想顶嘴反抗，但是她严厉的父亲先一步堵住了她的回辩：“卡琳，你可以过一会儿再去打扰他。”两位王子站在门边，像看戏似的望著恼怒的妹妹。罗兰伸出手臂，想要像往常一样护送她离开，结果卡琳却不领情地别过头，快步走过窃窃私笑的两位兄长。莱安拍拍尴尬的罗兰肩膀，然后三人才一起离开。罗兰离开前瞪了帕格一眼，目光就像拳头一样狠狠地打在帕格身上。 等到所有人都退开，大厅的门也关上的时候，公爵说：“帕格，不用理会罗兰的反应。 我女儿已经完全主悦此他的喜怒哀乐，他自以为跟我女儿是一对恋人，希望将来我能同意将卡琳嫁给他。 ”然后若有所思地望著关上的门，心不在焉地说：“但如果他要我同意的话，就得先证明他不只是个骄弱的贵族子弟而已。 " 鲍爵挥挥手，撇开这个话题。“我们回归正题吧。帕格，我还为你准备了另一样礼物，但是我得要先跟你说明一些事情。” “我的家族是艾尔王国里最古老的家族之一，我本人也是王室的直系后裔。我的祖父，也就是第一任的克莱第公爵，是那时候国王的第三个儿子。也因为流有王室的血统，我们相当重视一个人的责任与荣誉感。你现在既是我宫廷里的一员，也是卡根的学徒。在责任的归属上，你必须对卡根尽责；在荣誉的范围内，你必须对我负责。这间大厅里挂满了我们胜利归来的旗帜与战利品，不论是在抵抗暗精灵无止尽的袭击、还是驱散海盗的掠夺，我们总是勇敢无惧地奋战到底。我们以自身的系谱为荣，从来没有沾染过不名誉的污点，也从来没有任何宫廷的臣员，让此大厅所传承的荣誉蒙羞，我希望你也是如此。” 帕格点点头，想起小时候所听过的各种勇敢与荣耀的事迹。公爵对他微微一笑，然后说：“再来是另一样礼物的事情。昨晚我请图力神父为我起草了一份文件。我希望他能帮我保管这份文件，直到他认为时机合适的时候再转交给你。我不愿意再多说些什么，只希望将来当他把这份文件交给你的时候，你能够想起今天这一刻，并且仔细考虑里面所写的内容。” “我会的，公爵阁下。”帕格相信公爵所讲的事情一定很重要，只是刚刚半小时内所发生的事情实在太突然了，他实在很难再多记住些什么。 “帕格，我希望能跟你共进晚餐。你现在已经是宫廷的一员，不应该再待在厨房里用餐了。”公爵温暖的笑容让帕格觉得十分窝心。“我们会把你训练成一位彬彬有礼的绅士，当你有一天旅行到首都瑞兰诺的时候，才不会让人嘲笑，丢了我们克莱第的脸。”