"The empire is sinking, the sky is falling apart and the earth is falling apart."

"The Capital of Triumph, this imperial capital with a history of more than 2,300 years since the era of kings, has witnessed the rise and fall of two generations of empires. With the sinking of the final empire, it was completely buried at the bottom of the Sea of ​​End."

Gilbert's compassionate words even affected the guards on both sides. Thales could clearly feel that their hands pressing on the hilts of their swords were trembling slightly.

Gilbert pressed Tails' shoulder and looked at the young knight on the wall who was always roaring and charging, but seemed to never reach the end of the charge.

"And Tormund I... he was not yet the king at that time, he was the last remnant of the Final Empire."

Thales could feel the heavy weight on Gilbert's hand, and only heard the former foreign minister speak silently, reciting verses from the "Collection of Poems by Cahir Yeluo":

"The hero raises the flag, the king raises the gun, the empire has fallen, and there is no light in the world."

"After ten years of blood and fire, I came back victorious, but I can never go back to the homeland I fought endlessly for. The imperial family is gone, and all the nobles are dead." At this point, Gilbert said in a daze:

"Tiles, my little sir, can you imagine that feeling?"

Thales stared blankly at Tormund, who was moving forward inexorably.

The young knight looked so brave and fearless, even on the tragic battlefield, he looked radiant.

Will he know at that time that he will never go back to his hometown?

Before Gilbert could wait for Thales to reply, he sighed: "No, at least I can't."

Thales didn't speak, but had a strange feeling in his heart.

"A panicked creature, how can it be left alone?"

Thales calmly read out the last two lines of the poem.

A panicked creature.

In his imagination, a magnificent and majestic city appeared, but it was slowly sinking. Everyone was running for their lives, shouting in panic, but they could only watch helplessly as the sea water submerged everything.

At this moment, Thales suddenly raised his head and asked with a heavy and slightly angry tone:

"Where are those people?"

"Huh?" Immersed in the memory of the Renaissance King, Gilbert turned his head and looked at Thales in confusion.

I saw Thales also looking at Gilbert, calming down, his eyes calm.

"It's not just the imperial family and nobles, it's not just knights and soldiers - they are all participants in the war."

"But there are countless people living on that land, farmers, businessmen, old people, and children," the time traveler said in a calm tone, "regardless of high or low, high or low, or race, but they are involuntarily involved.

The people of this war, everyone.”

"During the war and Lu Chen's death, they were more innocent than disasters, more innocent than the emperor, more innocent than the nobles, and more innocent than anyone else."

"But they are the reason why the empire exists - couldn't they escape?"

Gilbert stared at Thales, his eyes narrowed slightly, as if he was meeting Thales for the first time and looking at him again.

"Just like your grandfather who cared about the people, Mr. Thales," Gilbert sighed, "you have a compassionate and loving heart."

Sympathy for the common people?

Those who can use the word "sympathy" have probably never put themselves and "subaltern people" in the same dimension.

As for compassion and kindness?

The traveler shook his head silently in his heart.

But Gilbert then lowered his head sadly, his eyes full of loss: "No, the whole world, and eventually the empire, from the princes and nobles to the common people, will sink into the sea."

"Only Tormund and his army are left, proving that the Final Empire and even the Ancient Empire are not legends. They all once existed very really."

Thales lowered his head, closed his eyes, and breathed out gently.

At this moment, Gilbert's hand on Thales' shoulder suddenly slowly tightened, and he uttered the following words word by word:

"And Prince Tormund at that time was just the most unpopular illegitimate son in the imperial family of the final empire."

Thales was shocked!

Thales turned around suddenly and looked at Gilbert in disbelief.

He knew why Gilbert said this.

"Don't talk about titles, territories, and property. He is not even qualified to inherit his surname. Even the title of 'prince' is just a courtesy."

Gilbert looked at Thales firmly:

"Compared to you now, he has nothing, and the situation he faces is a hundred times more dangerous than you."

Thales looked at Gilbert blankly, and then at the illegitimate king on the wall.

Gilbert shook his head, put down Thales' hand on his shoulder, and continued:

"The Battle of the End has been won. Humanity and the entire civilized world are celebrating the great victory, and the politics of the world are also undergoing dramatic changes."

"In the East, Feng Wang Chenjian brought the hopes of the Far East people to overthrow the old dynasty and establish the Suye Dynasty."

"Amma Mimo Humble raised the flag and began to spread the reputation of the Humble Dynasty among countless believers."

"In the West, the hero Nekaru Ex was crowned king amidst the cheers of all the people, and the powerful and proud Kingdom of Ex was born."

"But compared to this..."

Gilbert looked at Master Colvin's painting with seriousness and pity:

"The final empire that inherited the glory of the empire lost all its land and citizens overnight, leaving only the last bloodline."

"Overnight, the originally insignificant illegitimate son became the only remaining supreme leader of the empire that no longer existed."

"No matter the land, people, supplies, or wealth, Tormund has nothing. Apart from the six knights around him, there are only two thousand soldiers left, walking in fear in a strange land. Hope is cut off and the road ahead is bleak."

"At the age of twenty-four, he moved among many forces and lords. In order to get even a little grain, a little supply, a station, and a batch of weapons, he used all means, from groveling to arguing, from clever words and persuasion to clever plundering.

Maintain the independent survival of my subordinates and the final dignity of the empire."

"The lonely Prince Tormund struggles every day between war, conspiracy, ambition and power, and strives to survive among ridicule, ridicule, use and malice. At only twenty-six years old, his hair is already covered with white hair."

Gilbert put his hands behind his back, his eyes filled with reverence.

"'The_final_prince_of_the_final_empire' (the_final_prince_of_the_final_empire) - this was the mockery and ridicule of people on both continents at that time."

Thales looked steadily at the heroic prince without saying a word.

"Ten years have passed, their numbers have become smaller and smaller, and their hope has become smaller and smaller. Finally, after a battle with heavy casualties, desperate subordinates hugged the corpses of their colleagues and surrounded the haggard Prince Tormund.

Crying and asking him:

What’s the point of continuing to struggle like this? The empire has been destroyed, and not a single inch of land remains. They are like rootless floating duckweeds, the embers of history, which will eventually perish without leaving any trace.”

"Why keep fighting!"

"Why not just give up?"

Thales was slightly shocked and looked at the prince. The ancestor's eyes were different.

When you have nothing, when everything ceases to exist, what are you fighting for?

Gilbert looked at Thales' expression and sighed pitifully, but then showed a firm look and expression:

"Tiles!" He called Thales' name seriously and without respect for the first time: "You must listen carefully to the next words."

"That night, facing the accusations from his subordinates, Tormund shed tears, took off his scarred armor, pointed at the countless stars in the sky, and recited the most important oath in his life!"

At that moment, Thales saw the guards on both sides standing straight and solemnly, heads held high, and the sound of armors clashing suddenly came from the empty hall.

Just listen to Gilbert's face being firm and his tone solemn as he uttered the words:

"If the stars are there, the empire will last forever."

(the_empire_shall_last,_so_long_as_the_stars_be.)

Thales took a deep breath.

Stars—stars, if they are there?

The empire - Thales thought about the meaning of this sentence - will last forever?

The middle-aged noble just finished speaking.

All the soldiers and guards in the entire hall paced vigorously following these words.

"Boom!"

Then, they all raised their fists and hit the shield of the gold and silver nine-pointed star!

"boom!"

The empty hall was suddenly filled with crisp echoes!

Thales, who was shocked by history and stunned, took a step back in fright.

"Tiles!"

Before he could react, Gilbert suddenly squatted down, held the traveler's shoulders with both hands, looked at him levelly, and said seriously:

"Please don't underestimate yourself, your blood, and what they represent."
To be continued...