He ​​is dreaming.

This time, he knew it clearly.

He felt that a hole appeared in the void beneath his feet.

A growing hole.

Until he fell into it.

Inextricable.

He subconsciously raised his legs to get out of that terrible hole, but he received a call.

"Your Highness."

Thales woke up suddenly.

Only then did he realize that he was lying across the seat, with his right leg firmly pressed against the car.

And there was no hollow beneath his feet.

Not to mention falling.

In his ears, there were only the rumble of horse hooves, the slow sound of wheels, the low voices of people, and...

"Sorry for disturbing your sleep."

In the shaking carriage, Gilbert's gentle voice slowly calmed his panic:

"Did you have a good rest last night?"

Thales sat up straight, took a deep breath, and rubbed his face.

"No, I just..."

...It’s just that I haven’t slept so peacefully in a long time.

Thales buried his face in his hands and said silently.

A second later, the prince raised his head from his hands and smiled kindly:

"...Just taking a nap."

Gilbert looked at him seriously for a long time before smiling:

"Your Highness."

"Ahead is Yongxing City."

Yongxing City.

For a moment, this phrase seemed to have extraordinary magic power, sweeping away Thales' fatigue and sleepiness.

"What?"

Thales turned his head in surprise.

"So fast?"

The young man dragged his somewhat numb body, tried his best to move to the side of the car, and opened the window.

"We have only been in the Central District for a few days..."

Thales' words stopped abruptly.

As the carriage passed up a hill, he saw the shadowy cavalry outside the window.

Under the bright sunshine, the fields are vast, the roads are flat, and the villages are in order.

It looks like a colorful ribbon mixed between the blue sky and black soil.

On both sides of the Chidao, more and more people are approaching:

Busy merchants, farmers on the road, officials speeding by, and carriages of all kinds, fast or slow, in order, they stayed aside the road under the strong orders of the standing army and stayed outside the temporary cordon set up by the soldiers.

They all looked at the astonishing fleet of vehicles with curious and surprised eyes.

"Probably a dignitary from a certain family..."

"Oh, there are so many bodyguards clearing the way. Maybe they are some great count from out of town."

"Do you think the carriage contained people or things? I guess it was some expensive urinals..."

The vague discussion reached the young man's ears vaguely.

But none of this can compare to the focus of Thales's gaze.

That is a city.

From the distant view, the towering gray brick city wall stands like a towering tree. The protruding sentry towers and battlements are jagged, giving it a unique scenery. The star-blue flag at the head of the city flutters in the wind like rolling waves.

It is not as majestic and majestic as Longxiao City, not as solid and tough as Broken Dragon Fortress, and not as chaotic and free as Blade Tooth Camp.

but……

He didn't know why, such a well-organized, ordinary-looking city attracted his attention so much at this moment.

Yongxing City.

Thales was a little crazy looking at it.

"You don't have to be nervous."

Gilbert seemed to understand the boy's complicated emotions, and he said calmly:

"You're home, that's all."

Thales still couldn't look away from the city in the distance, and he could only hear him saying in a trance:

"I know."

I know.

Gilbert didn't say anything, he just looked at the prince's gaffe with a smile.

"If you want, Your Highness..."

Gilbert gave an encouraging look.

"Then go out and see for yourself."

See for yourself…

He is strange yet familiar...

home.

Thales slowly woke up, and his eyes gradually became firm.

Gilbert said with a smile:

"I think it's time for Yongxing City and the entire kingdom to meet their heir after six years of absence."

After six years of separation...

Thales' gaze passed through the soldiers, through passers-by, through the fields, and finally through the distant city wall and the clouds in the sky.

"Of course, Gilbert."

Thales looked back with a complicated expression:

"certainly."

Facing the rare look from the prince, the Foreign Minister remained silent for a few seconds.

Then, Gilbert gently pushed the window open, knocked on the car, and poked his head slightly.

"Lord Mallos, could you please slow down and raise the nine-pointed star flag? It may be time for His Royal Highness to appear in public."

Count Casso's shout caused the horses' hooves and wheels outside the carriage to change their speed and trajectory at the same time. The royal guards surrounding the prince's carriage took action and quickly gave way to a formation, revealing the watchman Marius approaching on horseback.

"Let His Highness see his Yongxing City..."

Gilbert's words continued, but...

"I'm very sorry."

"no."

Marius's voice moved from far to near like a horse's hooves, his tone was gentle and polite, but he refused simply.

There is absolutely no room for negotiation.

Gilbert was stunned for a moment, as if he didn't expect that his proposal would be rejected.

Thales also frowned.

Fortunately, the Foreign Secretary only paused for a few seconds, and then continued to reach out of the car and tried to make another effort.

"Okay, Lord Mallos, I understand your work, but we neither need to stop nor deviate from the route, but His Highness needs to enter the main road when..."

But what greeted him was still Marius' polite reply:

"I can't allow it."
To be continued...