Under the light of the tiny and fragile flame like a bean, Kawad VI raised his head and looked at Charles.

Under the dim light, his expression was blurred. There were only two tiny faint blue brilliance dancing silently in his dry eye sockets, which could only light up his eyes. Let Charles see his eyeballs rolling slightly.

"The same to you.

As soon as Kawad VI spoke, he stopped. There was a trace of vigilance in his eyes, he paused and asked tentatively. "Your Majesty Solomon,...do you believe in heaven?"

Faced with this probing question, Charles was not silent or sophistry.

"my words

Charles pondered for a while, and then calmly replied: "When I was young, when I looked up and saw the boundless starry sky...I almost made me believe in the existence of heaven."

Of course he didn't know the right answer, what the Rosicrucian attitude to gods and faith was - but that didn't matter at all.

He didn't intend to pretend to be a Rosicrucian to deceive Kavad's trust. After all a lie micro out. More lies must be used to complete the circle.

Once one of these lies is caught, the fragile trust that connects people to each other is gone.

The reason why Charles mentioned the eight-character mantra of the Rosicrucian Society was just to open up a conversation with Kavad—and it was actually a good success. After one sentence, the name of King Kawad VI returned to yellow and remained locked. Hearing what Charles said, Kawad VI's brows gradually loosened. Just from the answer of this sentence, he knew that Charles was not one of them. But also because of this sentence, he became a little interested in Charles.

"Are you saying...you don't believe in God?"

Kawad VI asked with great interest.

His voice was hoarse and low, as if his throat was full of leeches. Charles replied frankly: "Naturally. I only believe in myself, the knowledge I have learned, and the ambition I always have in my heart. What I have insisted on before, what I am insisting on now, and what I will still do in the future-that sacred mission , is more noble than the existence of the gods.

"Then." The old man asked again in a calm, hoarse voice, "What are you afraid of?

"The only thing I fear is time."

Charles replied: "Because there is nothing eternal in this world, and everything in the world has its own time.

"Laughter is not long. Sorrow is not long. Love is not long. Hate is not long. Desire is not long. Life is not... Pain is not long. A few hundred years can change the world, and the familiar becomes strange, rare It becomes common, and the common will become rare. The sea has changed. But how many people will there be? Remember the name of someone four thousand years ago? His voice is flat, but there is a strange feeling in it Hearing what Charles said, Kawad VI couldn't help laughing.

"All right, boy."

He chuckled softly, and said softly: "There are some things in this world that can be explained by 'the destiny is so, and manpower is exhausted'. But this sentence can only be said by people who have worked hard enough to go crazy... You are still young, and you still have your strengths." The future. No need to be so sullen.

"I don't know, I thought you lived longer than me and suffered more on this earth... If I remember correctly, you should be in your early twenties now?" Kawad VI asked kindly road. This old man dressed in plain clothes, dark gray sackcloth, but wearing a crown doesn't seem to care about the turmoil on the ground and the change of power.

And Charles was silent for a while, and just replied

The old man smiled, nodded, and shrank his body down again. His body was buried in the quilt, nestled in the corner of the bed, his eyes were slightly squinted, and his limbs were as thin and fragile as shrunken vines.

I am. Died my son, came to Persia, right. Kawad VI, he murmured as if in a dream.

Charles replied honestly again, "Yes.

"I gave him the last of his dignity. I returned the weapon to him. Made him duel with me—and he lost.

"That's it.

Kawad VI was silent for a long time before murmuring in a low voice. Not long after, he raised his head with difficulty and looked into Charles' eyes.

"Emperor of the Romans, little Charles...

With a hoarse voice, he tried his best to pull his own arms, and propped himself up slowly.

He asked Charles: "Do you know what is the ultimate secret treasure of our Persia?"

"It's knowledge.

Charles replied.

Kawad VI asked again.

It was too late for him to dissipate the surrounding holy guards. His time was running out, and he had to give Charles the answer at this time—however, Charles' answer was beyond his imagination.

"It's knowledge about immortality that is not understood by mortals. Charles replied calmly, like a riddle: "But it's not about you, about me, about us, Kawad VI, who was stunned. He looked at Charles for a long time, his lips trembling. His hands slowly clenched and released, and there seemed to be liquid shaking in his eyes.

…

He suddenly lowered his head, covered his eyes with his right hand, and laughed as if he was panting lightly, with the corners of his mouth raised high, but there was a cry in that voice.

"...I didn't expect it. I can have an understanding in this world... His voice was trembling, and he spoke very fast: "I, I, I didn't tell Mori about this. He is mine. Son...I mean, I'm so happy, my boy. I don't know how I feel, my work is not in vain! The tower can go on...Ahura, why are you not a Persian-no...sorry.

His voice fell silent.

After a while, Kawad VI suddenly let out a breath. It seems that the mood has relaxed a lot.

"I'm so happy, Solomon. The name sea of ​​'that'... and the pot.

He said slowly, and said vaguely about the contents of the jar: "It's all behind me, on these shelves of mine. 'They' can't be taken out of the ice cellar for too long, or they will rot. If you want to transport them outside, you must The jars are packed in shockproof wooden boxes, filled with ice, and filled by the way.

"The research I have done on them is all recorded in my notes. There are seven books in total," Kawad VI patted the bed as he said, "It's all under me...at the bottom of the bed. If you need it , this knowledge can also be fully owned by you - I mean, famous - you know what I mean. I don't want fame, I just want it to pass on.

Kawad VI wanted to say that word at least three times. But every time he saw the holy guards in the room, he swallowed it back again.

They do know what Kawad VI has done. But they see it as a sinister hobby and don't understand it. But even so, they can still abide by their loyalty and protect the Ruosheng King based on respect for this kind of loyalty and friendship. Kawad VI does not want to force them to understand himself.

"I understand. Charles said softly: "You are a great king and scholar...you will be recorded as such in future books. "

However, His Majesty Kawad. There are traitors and traitors who are rebelling against you outside, and I will be your supporter... Aren't you going to take revenge? said Charles. It was a joke: "I've often heard that revenge is as sweet as honey—and doesn't make you fat."

Hearing this, the surrounding holy guards were taken aback. looked at Charles. And immediately cast his expectant eyes on Kawad VI.

But Kawad VI was silent for a while, but smiled again: "Forget it. The heavier the donkey hits the wall, the more painful it will be. My old donkey can't hit it... I also advise you Don't hate your enemy, King Solomon. Hating and loving both will affect your judgment...Being a king should not be sentimental."

He exhorted in a low voice. In fact, I won't be king for too long anymore Charles said in his heart, but he responded: "You are right.

"You have to remember that the high priests are hypocritical to your drum. They are always arrogant, and the priests are mostly lazy people. Neither of them can be trusted. You should rely on the holy guards a lot. They will only obey him who wears the crown, regardless of his origin or race."

Kawad VI never mentioned anything about his son, but took off his crown tremblingly, and showed a gentle smile to Charles: Come here Charles obediently put his head in the past, and even let go of the suppression The power of the holy guard. At this distance, as long as Kawad VI arouses the flame, he can burn Charles' head in an instant.

But he didn't.

He just put his own crown on Charles' head. Kawad's hand was too weak and cold. Buckled three times in a row. Only Zheng put it on.

"Okay, now you are the king of Sasanian Persia.

Kawad VI smiled happily like a child.

He clapped his hands together and shouted: "Greetings to our new king, the wise and wise Solomon I!" He tried to sit upright on the bed, and then bowed deeply to Charles, kowtowing three times in a row. And the holy guards who had just been freed quickly knelt down to Charles and kowtowed to him three times.

"In the name of Ahura Mazda!"

Kawad VI put his forehead on the bed, and shouted respectfully and loudly: "The great holy king. Solomon I"

With trembling lips, he read out the prayer word by word.

"Solomon I, the blessed holy guards also shouted. But it took a long time. They didn't hear the voice behind. Because Kawad VI, who had maintained a kneeling position on the bed, was motionless and steadily lost his breath. .