Atlas Battle Song

Chapter 31

It was an autumn afternoon, and Little Trand was learning how to handle a long gun.

The training is very rigorous, and the knights will not show mercy, because the boy is already 12 years old, and in one or two years he will serve as the guard of the Gorgon family.The knights liked this little lion very much, saying that he would be a very strong fighter in the future.

Little Trand also liked the atmosphere.With the knights, no one would care about his impure blood.After all, knives and swords are themselves. In the face of life and death, steel and armor have pure friendship.

But this afternoon, the boy was always distracted.

When it was time to rest, Little Trand sat on a wooden stake in a daze, with his big shield on his elbow and his chin resting on one hand.

He casually picked a pure white wild flower, wove it into a ring and put it on his finger.

Looking at the wild flowers, little Trander couldn't help thinking about the past...Master Egg liked flowers, so he went all over the mountains and fields to pick a large bouquet of flowers and came back to teach the young master how to weave wreaths.Little Ishtar laughed at the boys, calling them little rabbits who stole flowers.How happy those days were, like clear crystals.

Thinking of the young master's smile, Little Trand couldn't help but smile.But the happy memories were soon extinguished.

The long summer is over, and the autumn leaves are falling.

It had been a long time since he had heard from Egg.

Before, he heard from the adults that Master Yi Ge was ill and temporarily suspended his studies from the Emerald Academy.

sick?

This was almost impossible, and Trand couldn't believe it, because the young master had never been sick before.Yi Ge looks slender, but he is actually a tough kid, born with a determination to become stronger.Since they are all suspended from school, is it a serious illness?Or is it hurt?Or being bullied?

Little Trander was extremely anxious, prepared the travel expenses, and planned to sneak to the imperial capital alone to find the young master.

The nurse comforted him and said, "It doesn't matter, the young master is much better now, but he is still recuperating in the imperial capital. When he gets better, he will come back."

But after a while, the young master did not come back.

The boy waited and waited.

Autumn was over, and the forest where they used to play together was almost gone.The golden-red fallen leaves have accumulated very thickly. In the past, they always got into the pile of fallen leaves to wrestle and roll.Now, the signs of winter are becoming more and more apparent, the bright leaves are turning dull, the color is turning to dust, the joy is turning into solitude, and the jigsaw puzzle of autumn is turning into the dry wrapping of the earth.

Little Trander often climbed up the hill alone and looked down from the cliff.

Sometimes, he wrote letters in the forest.

Master Egg must have missed this forest, the Knights of the Squirrels, the family of otters by the river, and the alliance of the hedgehogs.If only I could tell Master Egg all this, he thought.It's a pity that little Trander has never been good at grammar, and the things he writes are dry, like hard bread with teeth.Fortunately, he is very good at drawing, and he can also draw for Master Egg.

He misses his partner so much.

The written letter, the beautiful red leaves that fell on the picture book, the shiny little stones, the emerald feathers picked up by the river...all the good things, I want to give to his young master.

Sometimes Little Trande would wake up again: what are these?

Have they been children all their lives?When they turn 15, they become adults.Egg will become the earl in the future, and no matter how hard he strives, he can only become an entrusted knight.When the time comes, what should we do?Could he give Egg only fallen leaves and stones?

He could only be a nobleman's lover, and he couldn't have a family with Egg.

However, if...

"Hey, the rest is over! Boy, come over and continue training. Today you must master stabbing."

A knight patted him on the back, interrupting the boy's reverie.

"Oh? Hmm."

Little Tland came back to his senses and found that the wreath in his hand had withered.He sighed, put down the flowers, and picked up the sword again.

The boy throws himself into sweaty training.

The autumn wind swept across the grass, and took away the fluttering white flower. It was drawn into the high blue sky and dissipated in the flow of the world.

This is how time uses one metaphor of passage to teach children another metaphor; by taking away the carefree long summer, it shapes young and bright teenagers.

That afternoon, when the dusk was about to fade, a carriage appeared in the afterglow of the setting sun.

The carriage moved slowly, and there were two guards on horseback at the front and back.

"look!"

Hearing someone yelling, Little Trander turned around and saw the carriage.

"who is it?"

"do not know."

The coachman also seemed to have seen the knights who were training, and waved at them from a distance.However, the car moved really slowly, as if it was escorting some fragile treasure.

Little Trande squinted his eyes, trying to see the dark car window clearly.His heart was beating violently, and a bold hypothesis was tormenting him, but he dared not believe it easily, lest he be disappointed.

Just as the boy looked around, the car turned around following the bend in the road, and the golden dusk shone into the car—he could see it clearly.

"Ah, Master Egg—!"

Throwing down his sword and helmet, he untied his armor and threw it on the ground. Little Trand ran away.

The boy ran to the carriage in the distance.

The wind whistled past his ears, his heartbeat was as violent as a restless volcano, and even the depths of his eardrums were throbbing.Above the wilderness, the sky is full of gold and red.

"Igo!"

he shouted, panting.

As if they heard the call, the windows in the carriage were opened, and the boy in the carriage poked his head out slightly.

Seeing the puffing lion cub running wildly, little Egg couldn't help laughing.

The two boys looked at each other.

A small figure, on the edge of the vast shadow of the dusk, like two drops of water trying to break free from the shackles of the black river, approaching each other.

"Woooo-!"

Little Trand ran to the carriage and lay down on the door with tears in his eyes.

"Look at this little animal."

The driver looked at the boy with a smile on his pipe.The guards also laughed, after all, this excited little guy really looks like a puppy welcoming its master home.

The door opened.

"Silly lion."

Little Egg smiled weakly, and stretched out his hand to pull his friend into the car.

"Ouch!"

Little Trand jumped into the car in a jerk, threw himself on the young master and hugged him tightly, no matter how much the adults next to him pulled him, he would not let go.

"Come down, you silly boy, the young master is not fully recovered yet!"

"Woooo...!"

"Good lion, touch me, I'm back."

Little Egg smiled and stroked the soft ears of the little lion.He was held tightly by Little Trander, and his fluffy head kept rubbing against his neck.The puppet lion he held in his arms was pushed aside as well. I don't know if it was Tland's intention.

"I miss you so much, Egg woo woo."

"I know, because Trand is the silliest little lion cub in the world."

Two children hugging each other.

After returning to the castle, little Egg stayed in bed for a few days, and then gradually recovered.After about half a month, he has fully recovered.

The young master lost a lot of weight, and his face became even paler, like a ceramic doll wearing a ruby ​​bow tie.

Trand was so distressed that he almost acted as a guardian.If the young master tripped over a tree root while playing, he would criticize the bad root severely; if the young master didn't put on a warm wool cloak when he went out, he would have taken off his shirt and put it on Egg.This kind of transitional care often made little Egg distressed.

"This lion is going to be a mother."

"What are you going to do if you catch a cold again! Winter is coming, and your illness is just right." Little Trand tied the scarf on the young master with a whimper.

"The little lion can show me a dress, and it will cure all diseases."

"Real men don't wear skirts."

"You can wear it, because Trand is a beauty."

"What did you learn in the imperial capital..."

"..."

Little Egg fell silent.

"Ah..." Little Trand felt that something was wrong, but he didn't hesitate to ask Egg any matter.

Later, Trander went to the adults to inquire, and it seemed that Master Egg had a conflict with the instructor of the academy and poked the instructor's eye blind.All statements are ambiguous.It may be that the adults above are unwilling to let people know specific things.

The count personally went to the imperial capital, and when he came back, he asked his son to go back to school, saying that the instructor's matter was settled, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was still waiting for him.But little Egg didn't want to go any more.For this reason, the father and son argued several times.

Trand even witnessed a conflict between the Earl and his son.

It was snowing that day, and the two children were playing chess by the fire in the game room. The maids prepared almond cheese wine cake and hot milk with honey for the two boys.They were playing chess when they suddenly saw the butler come in hastily.

The old man whispered a few words into the young master's ear, and little Egg suddenly looked serious, and stood up with his head held high.Little Trande has not recovered yet.

Then the servants opened the door—

The maids bowed neatly, and little Egg looked as if he was facing an enemy.

The Count is back.

The man was still very young, with slightly curly black hair hanging over his shoulders, making him look a bit frail.He also dressed in maiden fashion, wearing a broad-brimmed hat with a huge black feather, cuffs and collar of translucent gold lace, and no sword at his waist.Those razor-coloured eyes glanced arrogantly around, and finally settled on the little thing-his son.

If it weren't for the father and son having similar eyes, similar thin lips, and similar frosty temperament, others might think that they are a pair of old enemies.

Little Egg shrank back, like a little cheetah vigilantly detecting an unfamiliar threat.

"Good day, my lord father."

"You are here."

The maids helped him take off his furry black cloak, and the count sat on the sofa near the fireplace, while the butler bowed and brought his favorite hot white axe.

"Have you recovered from your illness?" The count squinted his slender eyes, and glanced at Little Trand, "Hehe, your little pet has grown up a lot."

"It's much better now, thank you for your concern, father."

Little Egg took a step forward, keeping little Trand behind him, so that the count would not look at him too much.

"Now that I'm cured, I'll go back to the Emerald Court."

"Not quite yet."

"The doctor has told me not to lie."

"I'm not lying..."

"Then what are you doing?"

The anger suddenly broke out, and the wine glass was smashed to the ground.The count stood up abruptly, and the servants bowed their heads silently.Little Trande also followed the trend.

The count endured it, and went on:

"How many times have I told you that the Gorgon family has not been able to serve as a royal knight in front of the imperial court for a long time, and His Majesty has deliberately alienated us. If you can't gain status in the court, then the Gorgon family will be in the imperial court in the future. I am afraid that the status will be reduced to that of those human nobles."

Trying to hide his fear, little Egg said:

"Father, I think... even if I don't go to the Emerald Academy, I will still be able to gain glory for the Gorgon family in front of the imperial court. It is not practical to train with a group of noble sons. They only learn fancy swordsmanship, and... "

After hearing what his son said, the count became even more angry:

"The group of brats are not important at all, what matters is His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. He likes you, but if you naively think that this is an insult to you, you are wrong. The emperor can have ten trusted subjects, but only one blood alliance. "

Trand became nervous when he heard this.The crown prince likes Egg? ? ?

"Father, he doesn't want any blood alliance at all, he just wants to sleep with me."

Little Egg also held back, trying to maintain a polite tone.

where?Trand was suffocating.

"What's unacceptable? He's the future emperor. Even if you become an imperial guard, this kind of thing is nothing more than normal."

"I don't want to, I hate that."

Trand heaved a sigh of relief at the young master's words.

"You don't want to? Do you know how many boys from other families want to have the same opportunity? Become the escort of the crown prince, and later become the emperor's confidant. But you only have yourself in your heart, just as selfish as your mother." The earl sneered.

At the mention of his mother, the little boy couldn't hide the anger on his face.

As if seeing something extremely ugly, the count showed a disgusted expression:

"Look, you look exactly like her when you are angry. Stupid things, not enough to succeed, more than nothing to fail."

"Mom is not, you are selfish!"

cried Young Egg.

Suddenly, a slap was slapped heavily on little Egg's face, and the child fell to the ground.

Before the two boys could react, the father stepped forward and grabbed his son by the arm, and threw him to the other side of the room. The chess board, tables and chairs were knocked over, and the silver cup clanged to the ground.The maids covered their mouths in fright.

The count remained expressionless, picked up his cane and hit the boy on the calf.Little Egg let out a small cry of pain, but held it back.Little Trand threw himself on the young master and was beaten severely.

"It's boring enough."

Maybe he was tired of it, or maybe he lost his temper, the count threw his stick and gloves to the ground, and looked down at little Egg, who was holding back his tears, indifferently.

"Oh, and you have this beautiful little brute, don't think I don't know anything. I don't mind if you play around and keep it by your side all the time. But I warn you, if you're stupid because of this little bastard , I can kill him and skin him at any time."

"Then I will kill you."

Little Egg was expressionless and teary.

"Huh."

The count smiled, grabbed the puppet lion sitting on the chair, and threw it into the fire.The flames immediately enveloped the puppet, making a greedy bark.

"what……"

Little Trander bowed his head a little sadly, but he could still sew another one for little Egg.

"Master!!"

The maids all screamed.

"Varied……"

Little Trander raised his head in horror, only to see that Master Egg had thrown himself into the fire!

With one lunge, the terrified old butler pulled the boy out of the fire.

The flame on the boy's hand was extinguished, and the servants checked the young master's burned hand in panic.Little Trander was so anxious that he was about to go crazy. He didn't know how there could be such a madman in the world.However, little Egg still didn't let go, tightly holding on to the puppet lion whose face was burnt to a blur.

"Father, I haven't recovered from my illness, and I can't go back to the Emerald Court yet."

The young master smiled politely and showed his father his burnt right hand with tears in the corner of his eyes.

"You are as crazy as that woman."

Throwing down such a sentence coldly, the count left the noisy game room.