The Law of the Silent Gentleman

The teenager returns home at dawn.

According to local customs, travelers should set off in the evening and return at dawn. He walked to the village along the country road that had been walked countless times. The smoke from the kitchen rises in the dawn, and the breeze brings the aroma of breakfast. The village is located in the mountains, and there are not many families in total. The industrious and simple villagers work **** the barren land to support themselves and their families, and live an ordinary life day after day and year after year.

Everything was exactly as he remembered it.

A hound came out of the grass and barked at him.

"Come back!" Orion, who leaves early and returns late, calls out to his pet dog, and then jumps out of the grass. He stared at the boy for a while, then showed a hearty smile, dropped his hunting bow and hugged him tightly.

"Antoine! You're back!"

He slapped the boy on the back hard, "Everyone misses you! Why don't you send a message back!"

The boy blushed: "I'm really sorry! I made you worry!"

"What apologies! I hope you are safe and sound!"

In the distance came the cry of geese. The two turned to the direction of the village at the same time, and saw a large flock of geese walking unsteadily along the dirt road, and a goose girl waved her stick to drive the geese away.

Orion shouted, "Hey—"

The goose girl raised the brim of her straw hat, and when she saw Orion and Antoine, she was so shocked that she dropped her cane.

"Antoine!" She pressed the straw hat on her head and ran towards them. After running for a while, she didn't care about the straw hat at all. A gust of wind blew and the straw hat flew into the sky. The goose girl hooked Antoine's neck and turned around in a circle.

"You're back! That's great! I miss you so much!" She rubbed her eyes and quickly changed her words, "Everyone misses you!"

Orion held onto Antoine's hand, for fear that he would run away. "Go back to the village! Antoine, we've all heard your story! You're a hero!"

They carried Antoine to the village. The geese flapped their wings and ran away to both sides, then gathered together and followed behind the goose girl. The hounds barked and circled at their feet.

"Everyone! Come out and see! Our Antoine is back!"

Every family pushed open the windows, and heads, big and small, squeezed out of the windows. Soon, cries of surprise filled every corner of the village. The older villagers threw themselves on Antoine in tears, scolding him for not writing to the village, and thanking the gods for keeping him safe. Young people around Antoine's age hung shoulders to shoulders with him, scrambling to invite him to his house as a guest. The children jumped up and down, grabbing Antoine's trouser legs and begging him to tell him stories about the journey. Antoine was flattered, and stammered thanks for everyone's kindness.

Surrounded by everyone, he trudged to his door with difficulty. The noise of the villagers had already woken up the people in the house. An elderly man pushed the door out, just about to ask "what are you arguing about", when he saw Antoine, he couldn't help but froze.

"teacher…"

The young man looked at this man who was also a master and father embarrassingly, "I...I'm back..."

The rowdy villagers fell silent, waiting for the man to respond. The man looked Antoine from head to toe, took a deep breath, nodded and said, "Just come back."

The villagers cheered in unison.

"Antoine, tell me your story!"

"I heard that you have ridden a dragon, is it true?"

"What do pirates look like? Are they powerful?"

"Where's the sorceress? Why didn't you bring her back with you?"

Faced with countless questions, Antoine didn't know what to do, and it was not right to answer this way, nor to answer that way. He wanted to explain the ins and outs, but he didn't say a few words, and a new question fell on him again. He was so anxious that he was sweating profusely, so he had to turn his head to ask the teacher for help, but the teacher leaned on the door with his arms around him, watching his embarrassed appearance with great interest.

Everyone quarreled for a while, and finally, the most respected old man in the village said: "It's all right! Antoine hasn't spoken to his teacher yet, and I'm just entangled by you!"

Only then did the villagers realize that their enthusiasm had interrupted their family reunion.

"There's plenty of time in the evening! Let's hold a banquet for Antoine together! Let's leave now! Aren't you going to the fields today!"

"I won't go to the fields today!" A certain young man deliberately shouted.

"Nonsense!" The old man blew his beard and stared.

Everyone laughed and dispersed. The parents drove the children home for breakfast, and the young man took Antoine's men to say goodbye, not forgetting to agree on a time for their visit. Antoine got into the house as if fleeing. His teacher kept laughing like he saw something interesting.

"Why, Antoine, you're quite a celebrity."

"Don't laugh at me!"

Antoine pulled a chair and sat down. The chair made a toothsome "creak" and almost fell apart. He looks around. The house is small and dilapidated, but it is very tidy, and the furniture and items are arranged in an orderly manner, which shows that the owner is a person who loves cleanliness. He couldn't help his nose sore when he smelled the familiar smell of "home". The teacher took out two teacups from the cupboard and poured two glasses of water clumsily. One of his hands was missing a thumb, and he was always having trouble moving. Antoine turned furtively to wipe his eyes as he poured the water.

"The news is always faster than the legs on the wings of the wind." The teacher put the teacup in front of Antoine, "Your story has already spread throughout the village. Mr. Grümer of the caravan said that you led a group of brave men. warriors rescued them from robbers."

"That's not true!" Antoine shook his hand quickly, "I didn't lead any soldiers, it just happened...my friends contributed more, and I didn't do anything at all."

"The traveler who passed by said that you rescued a general from the assassins. The general gave you the title of colonel and asked you to lead an army."

"What?! It's not like that at all! Listen, there's a twist to it..."

"I've also heard people say that you wiped out a group of pirates and saved a city by yourself."

"It's too exaggerated! Do you believe such rumors!" Antoine couldn't help but thumped the table.

"Then riding a dragon against an evil flying ship is also fake?"

Antoine covered his face: "What is this..."

"What about the sorceress?"

Antoine buried his head in his arms: "I didn't..."

"Hahahahaha!" The teacher was overjoyed, and rubbed the boy's hair vigorously, "I'm not an idiot, of course I know that the rumors are not to be trusted. Then tell yourself, what did you encounter and what did you experience during this journey? reward?"

Antoine looked up shyly. "I...I made a lot of friends...they were all very nice people and I learned a lot from them..."

His voice lowered involuntarily, and finally became inaudible. He stared fixedly at his hands, thinking. The teacher picked up the teacup and took a sip, quietly waiting for him to continue.

The glass of water was almost finished, and Antoine finally made a move. He untied the long sword from his waist, held it in both hands, and returned it to the teacher.

"This is your sword, return it to you now."

"I've already given it to you, take it." The teacher pushed the sword away.

"No, this is yours. In the future I will have my own sword."

The teacher was stunned, and the teacup fell from his hand and shattered. Antoine hastily put down his sword, got up to find a broom, and cleaned the debris from the ground. He swept the pieces together and turned around to ask the teacher if there were any other teacups. The teacher bent his back and supported his thighs with his arms, as if he was carrying an unbearable burden. Suddenly, Antoine unexpectedly discovered that the teacher was old.

"Someone said this to me before. I never thought I would hear it again in this life." The teacher smiled wryly.

Antoine dropped his shoulders. "Is that person... called Enzo?"

"how do you know?"

"I met him." He smiled reluctantly, "I met him in a tavern in Ponto City. At first I didn't notice anything, but then I gradually realized that his sword skills are exactly the same as yours. And he During the sparring, I repeatedly thought that I was fighting with you."

"It's a small world..." the teacher murmured, "Is he all right?"

"Well. He looks quite rich, and he has taken in apprentices."

"Really? Haha, he is also a teacher..."

Antoine found a new cup, put it in front of the teacher, and filled it with water.

"His apprentice is named Giuliano. I met the two of them in a tavern in Ponto, oh, and Rexi, he's a bard..."

He sat back across from the teacher and began to tell his story.

Unknowingly, the rays of the setting sun spilled into the dilapidated hut. This day passed quietly in Antoine's narration. When he came back to his senses, he realized that it was already so late.

"Not good! I have an appointment with someone else, I can't go now!"

He jumped up in a panic, almost tripped over the chair, opened the door stumblingly, and closed it with a "bang".

"What's wrong?"

Antoine leaned against the door, panting with lingering fear.

"Outside... a lot of people..."

The curious villagers were poking their heads at the door of his house. They wanted to come in and have a look, but they didn't have the courage. So they pretended to be passing by, chatting outside in small groups, but their eyes kept looking into the house. cast a glance.

The teacher let out a low laugh. "Don't forget that there will be a reception banquet tonight. They won't let you go easily."

"No, I really have an appointment with someone else. What should I do now, if I go out, I really can't leave..."

The teacher untied a bunch of keys from his waist: "Go out from the cellar."

"Thank you!"

Antoine grabbed the key and ran to the backyard cellar. The teacher built a secret road leading to the outside of the village from the cellar for emergencies. Antoine never understood why the teacher did this when he was a child, but now he understands a little bit. It was an indelible mark left on him by years of killing in the past, making him always on guard against threats that didn't exist at all.

"Do you want me to go with you?" The teacher's voice came from inside the house.

Antoine opened the cellar door. "No need, I can handle it myself! You can rest! Don't forget that there will be a reception banquet tonight!"

He jumped into the cellar, opened a pile of pickles, and found the secret door. The secret passage was barely used, and the door was covered in dust. He was so choked that he coughed up tears and walked out holding his nose. The secret path is rough and narrow, and can only be passed by one person bending over. Antoine walked in the dark for a long time, and finally saw the light. At the end of the secret road is a dry well outside the village. He climbed up to the ground and covered the mouth of the well with leaves to prevent it from being discovered by unrelated people. It was getting late, and bright stars were rising from the east. The comet is still hanging in the sky, but the color is already very faint. Before long, it will disappear from the night sky, and it will not visit this land again until hundreds of years later.

Antoine glanced back at the village, resisted the urge to run back, and went the way he came.

I didn't meet half a person on the road. The farmers, shepherds, and hunters were all home by this time, and most of them were preparing for the reception.

The protagonist of the welcome banquet is now walking in the opposite direction of the village.

He walked for about five rounds, when a rock appeared on the side of the dirt path with a person sitting on it. The evening wind lifted his frosty hair, making him look like a white ghost in the evening. He looked thoughtfully at the distant mountains. Those with good eyesight could see a stone ruin standing among the hills. The name of the mountain is "Chervignon", which means "the place where the dragon sleeps" in the old language.

"Sorry, Leixi, to keep you waiting." Antoine scratched his head.

The bard turned his head slowly. "It didn't take long either. I'm good at waiting."

He jumped down from the rock, as light as a butterfly. "Have you met your family and folks?"

Antoine nodded.

"I promised to give you a day to think about it, have you thought about it now?"

"I already have the answer in my heart."

The bard watched him silently, waiting for him to continue.

Antoine took a deep breath, summoned up his courage and said, "Please allow me to refuse."

"May I ask why?" Rishthani asked unhurriedly.

The boy no longer looked at him, but turned to the distant mountains.

"Actually, there is something I've been keeping from you," he said, "because I promise to keep it secret, so I can't say it even to my closest friends. But now I feel compelled to say it. That person knows what I'm going through." You will forgive me later."

The setting sun sprinkled on the top of the mountains, and the smooth stone slabs in the ruins reflected the dim light. Tired birds returning late fly to the forest in groups.

"The broken sword you gave me...I returned it to the master."

Rishthani was slightly moved. "Have you seen him?"

"Yes. I have been to his tomb—the real one. It was moved to an island in the south by the witch Amandina. So I have heard the story of you and him. You chose him to be a hero, to be the one you have The protagonist of the legend written, but he is not willing to be manipulated by you, so you turn to support his enemy. He hates you, Leixi, and he is afraid of you. He is afraid of being your puppet when he is alive, and he is afraid of being your puppet after death You found it."

"But he also benefited a lot." Rishthani shrugged. "After the rebellion was suppressed, his reputation reached its peak. No matter which side I support, my goal was finally achieved. I created a legend."

"Don't you understand, Rexi?" Antoine turned his head and looked at him sadly, "My answer is the same as Darien's."

Rishthani was puzzled. "Don't you want to be a hero too? You told me yourself. Now I'm here to help you, aren't you happy? You can't accomplish anything alone, and all heroes can't do without the help of partners. There are six people around Darion Warrior, you have made many friends along the way. Miss Constantia is still waiting for you in Akton, so why not consider me as one of your partners?"

Antoine shook his head violently: "You are not 'helping' me, Rexi, you just let me act according to your script. I am not a real hero, I am just an actor in your legend, playing the role of a hero character. This is not what I want!"

"I don't understand. Darion said the same thing, but I still don't understand after thinking about it for nine hundred years. You are indeed heroes, what's the difference?"

"I want to be a hero by my own strength. I will not be manipulated by anyone, I will not be anyone's puppet. I am who I am. Maybe one day I will die, maybe my sword will break, my armor will shatter, maybe I will die Failed, died in some **** place where no one cares, no one remembers my name. But that's me, who I really am. If one day I succeed, people will sing songs about me, but I'm not for the songs to be a hero.”

He took a step towards Rishthani.

"Legends are made for heroes, not heroes for legends."

The evening wind blew across the fields, and the setting sun stretched their shadows very long.

"So what exactly do you want?" Rishthani asked.

"Let go, Rexi, stop interfering in human life. Leave human affairs to human beings to decide."

Rishthani watched him, but didn't answer. After a while, the bard turned and looked across the path.

"Ah, here comes another old friend."

There was the sound of horseshoes at the end of the path. Antoine looked far away and saw a rider approaching on horseback. He was covered with a cloak, his face hidden, but a golden holy symbol gleamed on his chest.

—Enzo?

No. The rider's red hair peeked out from the edge of his hood now and then as the horse galloped.

— It's Giuliano.

When they were still some distance away, Giuliano reined in the horse, jumped off the horse, patted the horse's neck, let it go to graze, and then walked the last part of the distance.

"Long time no see, Giuliano." Reshtani greeted politely.

Giuliano stood in front of them on the hilt of his sword. Antoine felt in a daze that Giuliano had grown taller, but he quickly realized that his friend hadn't grown taller, but had a different temperament. In the past, he was Enzo's favorite, inseparable from his teacher, like a child who couldn't grow up, but now he suddenly matured. There was no longer the youthful innocence and innocence on his face. His emerald eyes were as calm as a cold lake with turbulent currents and waves beneath. Like...like Enzo's eyes.

Antoine didn't know whether to be happy or sad for him.

"Long time no see, Leixi, and Antoine."

"You came here on purpose?" asked Antoine. "How do you know we're here?"

"Take a chance. I was going to visit your teacher and wait for you to come back, but I didn't expect to meet you here. It must be the arrangement of the gods." He turned to Rishthani, "For you it is The arrangement of the unknown force. But what is the difference between them?"

Rishthani pursed his lips. "I guess you didn't come here all the way to reminisce about the old days."

"Of course not. I came to remove you from this world."