Chapter 39 Chapter 10: Merilon's Prince

"Nephew," Prince Xavier greeted Joram with a slight sarcasm in the hood of his red robe as he slid past the prisoner.He stopped before the bishop's throne.The hall is now fully lit.At the command of this powerful sorcerer, a ball of light appeared in the air, casting a warm yellow halo on everyone in the hall.Bishop Vanya could no longer hide his face in the shadows.Now everyone can see his expression, everyone can see the truth. Dorches put his hand to his heart.One more such palpitation would kill him.he thought.Honestly, it would kill quite a few of us. Bishop Vanya wanted to retort threateningly, but Dikonduke's gale-like eyes blew his words away.Unlike poor Saryon, who crouched tight to become a dot and disappear in front of everyone, he was swollen with rage, red spots appeared on his white skin, and beads of sweat rolled down his forehead.He was leaning on the back of the chair, panting lightly, his swollen belly kept rising and falling, and his hands were feebly pulling at the red robe on his body.He said nothing, just stared intently at the entering wizard.Prince Xavier stared back at Vanya, with his hands folded in front of him, looking calm and confident.But a spiritual war has already been waged between the two, and the silent attack and counterattack almost crackles the air. Both sides want to find out how much the opponent knows and how they will use what they know.

Joram stood in the middle of the ring of fire, looking so bewildered that it almost made Doches laugh out loud.In fact, the old deacon couldn't suppress his laughter, and he did already burst into nervous titters.Realizing that he was a little hysterical due to this nervousness, he quickly tried to turn his laughter into a strange cough, which caused the young Duke Xisi, who was guarding the prisoner, to give him a hard look. Dorches knew now where he had seen such eyes, such a proud raised head, such a haughty look.The lad was a complete copy of his mother.Joram, like the others, saw the truth in Vanya's face, but—he moved his eyes slowly to Saryon, as if hoping for confirmation.The catalyst saint huddled in his chair, his head buried in his hands, and not even Dikonduke's unexpected and unwelcome visit could raise his head.Sensing the young man's attention, Saryon raised his haggard face and looked directly into those dark, questioning eyes.

"It's true, Joram," said the Catalyst Saint softly, as if he and the young man were alone in the room. "I've known this...for too long! For too long!" He stopped, shaking his head, his hands trembling. "I don't understand!" Qiao Ran's voice was hoarse, as if choked. "How? Why didn't you tell me the truth? Emin!" he yelled softly. "I believed in you!" Saryon groaned and rocked back and forth on the cold stone chair. "I did it for your own good, Joram! You have to trust me! I... I was wrong." He trembled, casting a glance at Vanya. "But I'm doing it for your own good. You don't understand." He finally said frantically, "It's not that simple—"

"Indeed, nephew." Prince Xavier interrupted suddenly, and he rushed over so fast that the robes around him were like living flames.The wizard pulled down the red hood with his slender hands, and faced Joram, studying the young man's face with great interest. "You've inherited traits from our family—those from your mother and mine—that's why you're in this predicament. If you had the weak blood of your idiot father running through your veins, you'd be buried in In the crowd, happy to train parrots in the village where you grew up." With a wave of his hand, Dikonduke removed the ring of fire from the young man's body.The weakness, exhaustion, and mental shock caused by tension made Joran's feet weak and he almost fell to the ground.But he controlled himself and stood up straight.He has nothing to rely on, only pride to support him.Dorches thought with admiration.The same admiration also appeared on Prince Xavier's face, and he glanced at Bishop Vanya.

"The young man is tired. I suppose he's been in jail since he was arrested last night?" Bishop Fanya nodded, but did not answer. "What would you like to eat?" said Dikonduke, turning to Joram. "I don't need anything," replied the young man. Prince Xavier smiled. "Of course, but you should sit down. We have to spend a little time here." He looked at the bishop again. "I believe it will be explained step by step." Bishop Fanya sat forward, his face, which was red and white with anger, more or less returned to its original complexion. "I want to know how you found out!" he hissed, clasping the armrest of the chair with his chubby hands. "I want to know what you know!"

"Patience," said Dikonduke.He raised his hand, and two more chairs appeared on the ground, and he waved gracefully, asking Joram to sit down.The young man looked suspiciously at the chair and at his uncle with the same suspicion.Prince Xavier pursed his lips and dispelled the suspicion, neither denying nor admitting it.He waved his hand again, but Qiao Lang suddenly sat down, as if his limp body had made a decision by itself. Dikonduke sat down beside the young man, and floated leisurely into his place.But he kept his sitting posture, and floated in the air one inch above the seat. He didn't know whether it was more comfortable this way, or he was deliberately showing off his magic power.Doques didn't know which one it was.But the old deacon knew he knew enough.

Dorches stood up, his bones creaking, and facing the bishop, he humbly put his hand on his heart. "Your Excellency." He was delighted to find that Prince Xavier was listening to him. "I am old. I have passed sixty years of my life in peace, and have found solace in what some consider a dull life, and have been watching the unending folly of my fellow man. My tongue is my bane .I admit this very frankly. There are many occasions where I cannot refrain from commenting on the folly, so I will continue to be a deacon and die contentedly as a deacon, I assure you. I just don't want to be too quick to be a deacon The deacon's identity died, I hope you understand."

Dikonduke seemed to find this amusing, and looked sideways at Dorches, a smile lingering on his thin lips.Bishop Vanya glared at him angrily.But Docce, knowing that his immediate superior was clearly in unprecedented trouble, continued with ease: "I am plagued by nightmares, my lord," said Docquer frankly. "But I'm forgetful by nature, and I forget dreams as soon as I wake up in the morning. I'm experiencing a dream like this, Your Excellency. It's a pretty scary dream, and I have a hunch it's only going to get worse." He put his hand on his heart , bowed very humbly. "With your permission, I will go back to bed and wake myself up before I find something worse. I trust that this will leave no memory in my old befuddled mind. You are illusions, therefore, Good night to all of you, Eminence Bishop." He saluted the bishop. "Your Highness." He saluted Dikonduke. "Your Highness." Doques bowed deeply to Joram, and found that the young man smiled at him. The faint smile did not appear on the corners of his lips, but warmed his dark eyes.

Dox shuddered.Yes, I must go, he said to himself with a heavy heart.So he turned around and walked towards the corridor at the end of the hall.The staircase winds its way through the mountains and will eventually lead him back to his cozy dwelling. But Prince Xavier's words stopped him. "I sympathize with you, Deacon. I really sympathize." The wizard said lightly. "But I'm afraid it's too late to end this dream. Besides, you're still sitting on the bench. You still need to make a verdict. And—" Although Doques had turned his back, he still knew that Dikonduke He was looking at Van Ya when he said this. "I need witnesses. So please wake up for the trial."

Dorches was thinking of making a last move to slip away, and when he opened his mouth, he saw the wizard's eyes narrowed slightly. "Yes, my lord." Dorches reluctantly agreed without enthusiasm, and sat back down in frustration. "So, where to start?" Prince Xavier gracefully raised his fingertips and tapped his thin lips. "There were too many questions at the beginning. You, His Excellency." The tone of the words was subtly sarcasm. "You have to know how much I know and how I found out. And you, nephew." It was still the same sarcastic tone. "A very simple question, 'how come?' I think it's saying 'how come you' are here when the whole world and most of this world are naive enough to think you're dead. Full kudos to you My respect, Your Excellency the Bishop." Bishop Vanya bit his lip, and Dikonduke's ridicule made him dare not speak out. "I will answer my nephew's question first. He is, after all, my monarch."

Prince Xavier bowed to Joram, lowered his eyes respectfully, and when he raised his eyes, he saw Joram's gloomy face. "No," said the wizard. "I'm not teasing you, young man. Not at all. I sincerely, absolutely sincerely, assure you." Those thin lips were no longer smiling. "You must understand, Joram, that Merilon's rightful succession to the throne is on the side of the Queen's family. Sadly, your mother has left us for the realm of the afterlife, the realm of the dead." Dikonduke Emphasizing that word, watching the people around him flinch unconsciously. "This sad misfortune will be made public soon." He glanced at Vanya, who was panting and glaring at him helplessly. "You, Joram, are now Merilon's Emperor." He sighed and laughed. "Enjoy your reign while you still can. It won't be long. Because, you see, as Her Majesty's brother, I am the heir to the throne right after you." Qiao Lang had a peaceful expression and clear eyes. He gets it.Dorches thought, sinking his head into his hands, resting his arms on the arm of the chair in despair.In Emin's name, it's murder, and then... A muffled groan from Saryon showed that he, too, understood. "No." He said sadly. "You can't! You can't—" "Shut up!" Prince Xavier shouted mercilessly. "You're useless, old puppet. You played your part stupidly, though, in many ways, through no fault of yours. The guy who pulled your strings screwed up his own script. "Okay, nephew, I will answer your question, both for your own good and for the benefit of those who sit on the bench to decide your fate." Dorches sighed heavily, wishing he could sink down to the depths of the holy well. "What I found," continued Dikonduke. "It took a lot of asking tonight to find out. I'm sure the bishop will correct me if I say something wrong. "Eighteen years ago. Your Excellency, the bishop of the Holy See made a mistake. It was just a small mistake." The wizard waved his hand disapprovingly. "He misplaced a child. But it turned out to be a disastrous mistake for him. The child he misplaced was no ordinary child. The child was Merilon's Prince of the Dead. You three, I Wrong." Prince Xavier smiled unpleasantly at Joram. "All four of you were present at the ceremony where it was officially announced that the child—it was you, young man—was a living dead. Your father, the Emperor, turned his back on you, but your mother, My sister would not give you up. She knelt by your cradle, weeping crystal tears. Those tears fell on you and shattered and scratched your body." Pale now, Joram pressed his hands to his bare chest.Dorches saw the white scars, remembered the scene at that time, and closed his eyes. "After the emperor's intervention and persuasion, the empress was finally persuaded to hand over the child to Bishop Fanya for custody, so the bishop took the baby back to the holy mountain and held a wake ceremony. A few days later, the palace received news that the child's body had died. Every day Everyone grieves about it, except me, of course. It's not about you personally." He nodded at Joram, who nodded back grimly at himself. "I like you, nephew." Prince Xavier said with satisfaction. "A poor wretch. Ah, where did I go? Oh, yes. Vanya's mistake." The bishop let out a disdainful hiss, like hot gas bursting out of a magic bubble. Xavier ignored him, and went on: "His Excellency took the baby to the Holy Mountain. The captain of the palace guards was with him, so there was a witness to the matter. Vanya took the baby among the dead and placed it on a stone slab. On. Since then, more and more living dead were born in Merilon. The prince was the only baby among the dead. At this time Vanya did a stupid thing, nephew. He left the baby there and sent no one Guard. Why? That will be explained in a moment. Be patient. 'All things come to him who waits.' That's what the old saying goes." Prince Xavier summoned a glass of water from the air with a gesture, and he took a sip when the glass floated lovingly to his lips.The silence in the room was so heavy that every gulp was clearly audible. "Would you like a drink, my king?" Joram shook his head, never taking his eyes off the wizard's face.Dikonduke did not ask the Catalyst Saints if they needed water, but sent the cup away with an order. "The child was left alone with no guards. Oh, of course it is understandable. There was never a guard in those rooms, which were hidden so deep in the sacred mountain. Besides, there was nothing to guard ? A child left to die? Ah, no!" Prince Xavier's indifferent tone shifted slightly to become more and more menacing, making his audience shudder. "A child waiting to live!"