When I stood in front of this gate, I still felt a little fear and expectation in my heart.

The unique fresh atmosphere of the northern permafrost summer swept across the streets with the long wind, and the light in the pyroxene lamps did not tremble at all because of the bustling crowd. The special carriage that went straight to the lord's mansion disappeared from the light of the evening sunset, and I had arrived at my destination.

In the north, at the gate of the Lord's Mansion of Moldavia. I silently recited the name in my heart: the gate of the residence of Count Radcliffe.

He should have noticed my arrival long ago, and for the legendary strongman, this is not difficult.

In fact, I had met Count Radcliff a long time ago. On the day I returned to the imperial capital from the battlefield, I met him in the Royal Library. He was not very old, but his strength far surpassed me. His attitude was more like my elders than my peers. He even showed me his source of strength, potestas of pugna, the power of fighting.

I always have an inexplicable emotion for this generous and young legendary strong man... fear, awe, disgust, and none. This illusory feeling is hard to describe in words, but it definitely includes respect because of his ethics. Count Radcliff is a powerful warrior, and his morality is as flawless as his power. You know, I have seen countless morally degraded nobles and soldiers who enjoyed the murder of enemies, women and children in the battlefield and private places. Although every orc deserves to die, the evil act of torture and killing has nothing to do with who the other party is.

"His Highness Dimore, please come in, sir is waiting for you."

The guard bowed and respectfully opened the door. I followed a maid who had been waiting here and walked into the courtyard of the Lord's Mansion. Looking around, there were no luxurious plants or decorations here. A small artificial lake that seemed very deep was probably the most labor-intensive facility here. Not to mention a legendary powerhouse, even for an ordinary real-world count, it seemed too shabby. Although I knew that he was a pure man who cared nothing but fighting, this scene still disappointed me a little.

This shouldn't be the case for the strong.

Maybe, I probably found the truth about that inexplicable emotion, and respect was a little disappointed.

Through the courtyard and walking into the gate of the lord's mansion under the guidance of the maid, I thought so. Joshua did not fulfill his duties.

It is not the responsibility and obligation of human beings or nobles. In this regard, Count Radcliff is not wrong. He protects his people, drives out beast tides, kills the mad dragon, and runs around the world. He is willing to protect the weak and kills evil. This is what only the great heroes in the legend will do. I have no doubt that hundreds of years later, the story of the hero Joshua will spread on this land.

But it is precisely because of this that I feel illusory.

In the lord's mansion, the ancient and solemn design dragged hazy shadows in the dim light of the fluorite lamp, but this scene was unexpectedly calm. I covered up my emotions as much as possible, but my thoughts continued to spread in the darkness.

Yes, that's it, it's so perfect and too illusory. On the battlefield, I've seen several brave and fearless fighting heroes in propaganda who are drunk and irritable in private and beat their subordinates. I also understand how indecisive and incompetent generals in the war report lost their staff and couldn't do anything. I've long known that behind many heroic stories, there are many filthy truths. The greater the achievements of Count Radcliff, the more I can't help but doubt the secret behind him... No one is perfect, this is the truth I believe in.

But what is important is here: he really has no negative news. This makes me feel extremely illusory while respecting it.

In the dim light, following the maid's guidance through the narrow corridor, I walked towards the reception hall. I had seen the half-closed door and felt a powerful pressure that made me unable to help but kneel down. This pressure was not directed at ordinary people who were just serving here, but only to extraordinary people like me. This pressure was as powerful as when I met my father in the palace and could not be disobeyed.

When I thought of meeting a familiar and unfamiliar legendary powerhouse, darkness swelled in my heart.

Why? It seemed as if the sharp teeth were biting my heart, and the numb and itchy feeling spread from the depths of my soul. I stopped and took a deep breath. The maid in front of me smiled understandingly. She probably felt that I was a little nervous. The facts were indeed, but the details were very different. I was just confused.

A legendary strong man! He can be called the top level in the whole world! How can they live in peace?

Why did Joshua van Radcliff willingly stay in a small place like the north? And my father, in the name of iron and coldness, even his son did not devote much love, could he tolerate another legendary appearance and disparage his authority? Why could these two people cooperate so firmly? Even the many rumors widely circulated among the palace and the people cannot add much doubt to them?

They should be as tense as those rumors, be wary of each other, or even fight each other, they should distinguish between superiors and inferiors through a duel, otherwise who will dominate the future of this empire? Who has the highest voice? I am not thinking about putting the entire empire into war, but I just think... this world should not be so beautiful. It should be a little worse. Although this will cause sentient beings to suffer, I may die because of it, but that is normal.

This is also the correct relationship between the strong, friendship, family affection, and trust. These are all false and meaningless things. People must distinguish between superiors and inferiority. In this dark world, this is the only way to maintain order.

This is a disease. A demon lurking in my heart because of years of dark life. The scene when my mother died was the source of this nightmare. I know this was wrong, but I can't help but think too much. I don't want to be a disciple of a legendary strong man, but I want to know how the man who has seen but has become extremely strange in view of this world, and how he gradually made this world full of war and disputes, and that has started to decay from the bones gradually become as vibrant and hopeful as it is now.

That's why I, Dimore Delmond, came here.

As the door opened quietly, I couldn't help but sit up from the big chair with cashmere, but then I immediately realized my disobedience, and then slowly sat down in the calm gaze of the legendary strong man beside me, and then looked at the silent visitor.

It was Dimore Delmond, it was indeed him, my brother.

The young man who had always looked a little gloomy always had a calm expression, but I could see that the corners of his mouth were slightly pulled, which proved that he was not in a good mood, or was nervous, just like me now.

Who said no? Except for those who have long been familiar with Count Radcliff, no one will feel nervous when facing a legend. This is helpless, just like an ordinary person encountering a dragon.

Sitting quietly on the chair, my thoughts couldn't help but drift away.

The Queen Mother was very happy about the decision of the father. Although he was a little dissatisfied with the second brother who was going to go, he then sneered and said that it was irrelevant. "Alva, he cannot become your competitor." The Queen Mother bent down to cut her new potted plant while casually saying: "I know his character, and I have always known it, just like his arrogant and rude mother who is unwilling to surrender to others."

Of course, I don’t know what kind of person the second emperor’s mother is, nor do I know what kind of person the second emperor is, but I know that compared to the other party, I am a weak person. So I should not have any luck or arrogance, but do my best to be myself.

Speaking of the weak, I couldn't help but look at the man who was slowly closing the book in his hand beside me. In front of people like Count Radcliff and his father, who dared to claim to be powerful besides the gods? But that book... "The Times"? The dark suspense that has been sold recently? I didn't expect that Mr. Earl also liked to read it, which was really unexpected.

I thought that a strong man had the only way to practice besides his mysterious and mysterious life.

"very good."

A simple and powerful voice came from my side, and the pressure spread slightly, but was controlled by the legendary strong man. I could sense the slowly seriousness of Earl Radcliff: "It's a good habit not to be late. Since you have all the people, you should start."

As he said, he waved his hand and a stool appeared behind my brother. The brother sat down at a loss, and then the count continued to speak: "Your father, the Emperor of the Empire, Isrell entrusted me to teach you the two sons he is optimistic about. He wants you to be my disciples, and you should also understand what this means."

Of course I understood. I curled my lips slightly. A disciple of a legendary strong man can be said to be a ghost card for the subsequent battle between the crown prince, not to mention that it also means rapid increase in strength and a death certificate. This is also why the Queen Mother must make me strive to become a disciple, even if I actually had no intention of the throne.

To be honest, the only attraction of the throne to me is probably to make the world better as much as possible. After all, if it were just a prince, many things would not be possible.

It seemed that I felt my absent-mindedness. Earl Radcliff looked at me. I was so scared that I immediately sat upright and set up a pose, while his voice continued: "But don't think I will accept you as disciples directly. My requirements are very high, not talent, but your mind. But you don't need to guess about this, because today I will take you out and teach my first class."

But it's already evening, what can I see when I go out? I opened my mouth but didn't say it, not just because I was in awe of this man, but because I also had some expectations in my heart.

He is a completely different person from his father.

Thinking of this, my heart couldn't help but feel a little excited.

The sun set, and the dim orange light disappeared from the tall iron pine canopy halfway up the mountain. A winter bird was in and out in the hole behind the branches, making the gradually falling brown needles part of its warm nest. But soon after, the hard-working bird stopped its movements, because it keenly noticed that something huge was passing by.

Taking the two princes through the forest, Gioshuya could feel the gradually rising doubts in Dimore and Alva's hearts, but he remained silent and let this emotion spread.

"Where are we going?"

Walking between the mountain roads, Dimore spoke first. He felt that all this had a familiar smell. Similar scenes seemed to have happened not long ago, and this puzzled him: "Sir, if we want to rush, we can fly over."

But Alva rolled her eyes and sighed: He had not reached the golden realm yet, and it was a bit far away from him.

“In fact, it has arrived.”

He didn't care about the interaction between the two brothers in the dark. The warrior crossed a small hillside, and his vision suddenly became clear. Standing on the ridge of the Great Eas Mountains, Joshua looked around half of the northern and southern parts. Night had already arrived, and the lights of lights in the forest villages everywhere were dotted. He said carelessly: "In fact, it's the same as what you think. This is not much different from the time Isrel took you all over the entire empire. My purpose is actually the same as him. I want you princes to see what the world is like."

"I've seen it." Dimore frowned. He thought of what he had been experiencing, and shook his head dissatisfiedly: "I am not the kind of person who was born with a golden key in his arms and raised by a noble lady since I was a child. I have traveled with the army. Of course, I know what the world really looks like."

"The father has taken us to see it once." Alva also muttered: "I don't think it's useless to see it again. Anyway, we can't do anything now."

Joshua didn't care about the complaints of the two princes. He stared at the villages with a faint smile on his face and said to himself: "In the past, you may have seen many fish bosses who exploited fish in the darkness hidden under the glorious appearance of this world, landlords who annexed the land, merchants who hoarded food and goods, and all kinds of dark sides of people's hearts, but that is something that the emperor needs to consider cutting off, and has nothing to do with what I am going to say today."

He spoke calmly. Joshua did not deliberately ask Dimore and Alva to listen to him, but both of them couldn't help but listen: "Do you know, what is courage?"

Courage? Familiar vocabulary. Dimore closed his eyes. Even if he emptyed his brain, his instinct would make him casually report seven or eight definitions of this vocabulary and have inflammatory speeches about it. It was one of the most emphasized things in the army during the war. It was paralleled with discipline and was engraved in the first article of the Royal Legion's military training. He was so familiar with it that he was a little bored.

Courage... Alva thought something, and he also knew very well about this word. Whether it was myths and legends or legends, this word was repeatedly emphasized. Although the second prince never had the opportunity to experience courage personally, he felt an inexplicable kindness in his heart.

"My disciple can have no talent or power. He can long for a peaceful life like a plant, or he can long for power and strive to be the best."

Without looking back at the expressions of the two princes, Joshua knew that they had different attitudes. His tone was still calm and without ups and downs, but every word was very clear: "But absolutely not, no courage."

"You missed the mist of the God Evil, and that was the best way to test courage. Several of my registered students passed that test, but it didn't matter. We have opportunities."

Withdrew his eyes from the distant mountain village, the warrior who seemed to have found his target finally turned his head and looked at Dimore and Alva: "Isrell promised me that you are all good boys with courage, but in my opinion, this is not the case."

"Why do you say that?" Dimore was not as anxious as before for Joshua's almost demeaning speech. He calmed down and asked back: "You should know that I had fought orcs and faced the charge of the Shixiu Cavalry head-on. I don't think that was something that a coward without courage could do."

Alva shrugged. He did not have any examples to prove himself, but he didn't think he was a weak guy.

Joshua smiled at this, and he waved his hand, and a light curtain reflecting the distant mountain village appeared in front of everyone.

This is an ordinary village located around the forest. It is probably because it is close to a small river. There are three water wheel mills built near the village. A rocky road goes straight to the center of the village from afar. In the light curtain, the gray sky above the village reflects orange-red firelight. The wet mist at night is reflected by the light and retreats to a corner of several abandoned houses.

It is obvious that this is a common hunter village in the north. It makes a living by hunting prey in the mountains and forests and cultivating winter wheat. This kind of village has rarely changed once in ten years. Apart from going out to sell fur, hunters will hardly leave their homeland. They even reject the entry of outsiders unless those outsiders can bring them benefits.

Both Dimore and Alva are familiar with such villages. Not long ago, they and Isrell visited most of the empires in three days and nights. They had seen more than a dozen similar villages. They originally wanted to ask Joshua in confusion why they wanted to see this ordinary scene, but the subsequent changes made the two watch with breath.

In the middle of the light curtain, in a half-destroyed house, a seemingly ordinary hunter boy tossed and turned with his bow in his arms, with a few salted fish and dried rabbit meat drying beside the broken window, and his eyes reflected the firelight outside the house, staring blankly at the empty house besides him. It is obvious that his parents should have left him forever because of some accidents. This kind of thing is not uncommon, especially in recent years, it has been a dark tide and a dragon disaster. Many villages far from the main city and the reinforcements have come late have lost a lot of adult labor. Many underage children can only struggle to survive alone, because other people in the village live equally hard and cannot help them. Some vicious people even make a living by exploiting these children.

Such days have lasted for a long time. It can be seen from the teenager's thin arms and deep sunken cheeks. Anyone can see that such a poor life is a chronic suicide for an adolescent. If he cannot get enough food to develop, he cannot hunt prey alone even if he is an adult, and he will have to become a useless person.

In response to this, Dimore looked at the scene coldly, unable to see what he was thinking, while Alva frowned. He wanted to speak for a moment, but closed his mouth again.

This can't continue like this.

Because of hunger, the unknown hunter boy suddenly sat up from the wooden bed with only ermud. His mouth was so clear under the light curtain, and the light revealed in his eyes made everyone understand what he meant. The next moment, he simply picked up the dried meat and salted fish by the window, some of his only food reserves, and then lurked in the darkness and walked towards the distance along the rocky avenue.

"Since the construction of these rocky roads, dozens of these mountain people who originally lived in mountain villages have traveled to the main city of Moldavia almost every day. He is not the first or the last."

Joshua said calmly at this time: "What I must tell you is that the mountain people are extremely attached to their hometown. They are so ignorant that they almost never leave their hometown. In terms of this village alone, no one has ever walked out of it for almost thirty years. He is the first one."

"What's the point?" Dimore was a little puzzled: "Even if he left the village and came to the main city, he might not be able to live comfortably, let alone the dangers he might encounter on the roadside."

"And that's the point." The warrior replied: "This is courage."

"He knew what strange environment he was facing, dangerous roads and various accidents, but even so, he still wanted to go out and see. He was willing to bear these dangerous consequences. This alone was different from those guys who had been staying in the mountain village as hunters."

Facing Dimore's eyes that were still a little disapproving, Joshua chuckled, he lowered his head and stared at the boy who was moving along the stone path towards the main city of Moldavia: "You may only see the ignorant and reckless behavior of a young man, but I see a man making the most important choice in his life. Dimore, you think too much, anyone can become anyone, but the chance is high and low. As long as you have the courage, an orphan can become a real warrior, and an unknown little person can also become the emperor of the empire."

"I want to help him."

Alva, who had been hesitating for a long time, suddenly spoke, his tone hesitated, but he still said: "I think..."

"Go, your choice is your freedom."

Before the other party could explain, Joshua waved his hand and signaled that Alva could move freely. After obtaining permission, the seventh prince happily followed the instructions of the light curtain and ran towards the hunter boy.

Afterwards, the warrior turned his head and looked at Dimore, who was still frowning and unable to understand. He looked at the imperial emperor in his previous life: "I can see that you are confused... You said you have the courage, but in fact you just follow the rules. The general ordered you to move forward, and you move forward. Isrell told you to come back, and you come back, Dimore, this is not courage, it is just going with the flow, and you have not made any choices about your own life at all."

"Isrell told me that he has told you what the king is, and he wants me to teach you what the strong is. It is actually very simple, that is, make the choice you want and bear all the consequences that will arise from it afterwards."

Faced with such serious words from a legendary strong man, even Dimore couldn't help but take a step back, but then he stopped. The second prince was silent for a while, and his eyes flashed and said, "But the consequences of some choices are unbearable... Many wars are like this, and many killings are like this."

There is something in his words, but the warrior understands what he means.

"That's just that they don't want to think about it before."

Without replying to Dimore, Joshua withdrew his gaze. He turned to look at the lights in the north, and his heart was very calm.

The great demon tide is coming, the world is changing, and in such an environment, many stubborn people and collectives have made changes, and countless heroes have stood out from the ordinary. Most of the future strong men and heroes have nothing at the beginning, but what makes them different from other ordinary people is that they think they can do more and they dare to make choices.
To be continued...