Alien Knights

Todd had a long dream.

In the dream, he was in a different world where he didn't exist.

In the universe of that world, all things, all laws, without his participation, all proceeded in an orderly manner according to the existing track.

The kingdoms are like crucian carp crossing the river, chaotic and dense, rising today and falling tomorrow.

All events, like the nodes on the circular track, occur in sequence, and the cycle is endless.

He can only stand aside, as a bystander, watching the ebb and flow of the tide, the flowers blooming and withering, no matter how much he shouts and struggles, he is powerless to make any changes and struggles.

Finally, a dazzling light shone in from the darkness, leading him away from that endless nightmare.

Todd woke up slowly, and found that his eyes were blurred, and he could only distinguish faint lights and shapes.

The huge dragon's body was covered with large and small wounds. One side of the dragon's wing was almost completely broken, leaving only a few muscles and bones connected to it. The dragon scales all over the body were scattered due to the explosion, exposing the bright red flesh membrane underneath.

Todd wanted to speak, but found that his vocal cords were also severely damaged, and he could only make some indistinct noises.

"It's a miracle you survived." Meredith's voice suddenly appeared in Todd's mind: "When I found you, you were like a bunch of sausages hanging in the market."

Todd opened his eyes wide and looked ahead, unable to make out more than a blurry figure.

Meredith's voice sounded again: "You lie here like this, don't even think about moving around."

Todd responded in his head, "Where am I?"

"The Kingdom of Shadows, when I rescued you from the battlefield, it took a lot of effort."

Hearing Meredith's answer, Todd was taken aback subconsciously.

This woman brought herself back from the battlefield to the Kingdom of Shadows?

The dragon-shaped body weighs dozens of tons. How did she do it?

Putting this question aside for a while, Todd asked again: "How is my physical injury? How long will it take to fully heal?"

"It's hard to say. Although my teacher Skaha rescued you, your injury is still serious. As for when you want to recover, I'm afraid I can't give you an exact time."

Todd was silent for a moment, then asked again: "How long have I been in a coma?"

"Five months."

"What did you say?!" Hearing this answer, Todd panicked and struggled to get up. The severe pain in his body forced him to lie down again.

Meredith said helplessly: "I just finished telling you, and you forgot what I said. You haven't recovered from your injuries yet, so don't even think about moving around."

Realizing that he couldn't move at all, Todd sighed slightly and slowly calmed down.

"I still remember the explosion in the fight with Cu Chulainn, but what happened after that?"

Meredith said while recalling: "Even I, who was far away in the country of shadows, could clearly feel the flames and vibrations produced by that explosion. A huge crater two kilometers wide and nearly a hundred meters deep."

Hearing this, Todd was a little puzzled. The power of the spore parasite is indeed great, but it's not so big, right?

Perhaps, in Cu Chulainn's tyrant body, there is an organ for digesting corpses, which stores the flammable gas produced during digestion? (mainly carbon dioxide, methane and sulfur-based gases)

Meredith continued to narrate: "When I arrived, the Valkyrie who was quite hostile to me had already led a group of people madly digging the explosion site. After some coercion and temptation from me, finally To convince them to let me take your body."

"During the first month of returning to the Kingdom of Shadows, you couldn't see the original appearance at all. Fortunately, my teacher Skaha extended a helping hand in time, and you were able to save your life."

Todd took a long breath: "Then... Cu Chulainn, he..."

"You ask him? Although my master told me to bring back Cu Chulainn's body... But in that deep pit, it is no exaggeration to say that there are pieces of meat and limbs scattered everywhere, and it is impossible to distinguish Which wreckage belongs to that guy."

Meredith said helplessly: "I've always wondered why my teacher cares about such a stubborn and conservative guy?"

Thinking of what Cu Chulainn said to himself before the change, Todd said with emotion: "Perhaps it is because of Cu Chulainn's stubbornness and old-fashionedness that Scathach feels that his soul has special value?"

Meredith approached Todd, patted the latter's dragon head with his hands, and said with a pun, "There is a saying that seems to be true. The person who knows you best is often not your relatives, but your enemies... "

Feeling Meredith walking away, Todd couldn't help shouting in his head, "Hey, where are you going?"

Meredith said angrily: "Of course I'm going to inform your lovers, you're already awake! Otherwise, those people would come here every now and then to make trouble. Do you think I want to see them?!"

Todd shrank his neck and closed his mouth.

———————————————

Muxi City, Muxi Cathedral.

Alfonso, who was dressed in black armor and carried a big sword, looked at Huggins, who was walking towards him with a limp, and was filled with emotion for a while.

Huggins walked up to Alfonso, thumped his breastplate hard, and said with a big smile, "How long has it been since we met?! Two years? Three years?"

Alfonso whispered: "I am in the north..."

Huggins hurriedly stopped the other party from speaking: "Well, I know, don't talk about His Majesty's affairs here... By the way..."

Looking at Alfonso in full armor, Huggins tapped his helmet: "In Muxi City, you don't need to carry this iron bucket at all."

Alfonso hesitated: "I'm wearing a keel, you should know, the ones on my head..."

"It's okay, it's okay!" Huggins said with a smile: "The heterogeneous species has already become a part of Muxi City, let alone showing its head, even if it takes off the armor and walks around wearing a keel, it's not a big deal."

Alfonso, who was suspicious, took off his helmet, and the parasite limbs on the top of his head slowly stretched out, and began to twist and swing non-stop.

The surrounding people who came to worship in the cathedral just glanced at Alfonso before continuing with their respective affairs.

Alfonso looked around and settled in his mind: "The cross I brought, your majesty confessed..."

"That matter has been handled by Lord Emerson at the sole discretion. You don't have to worry about these things..." Huggins pointed to the door: "I haven't come back to Muxi City for a long time, otherwise, I will take you out for a walk."

"However, His Majesty also told me to let me take some people away."

Huggins waved his hand: "That matter is not urgent, I will let you see them later."

Alfonso spread his hands: "In this case, I have to go to a place first."

Huggins suddenly said: "Oh, yes, I think I know where you are going..."

An hour later, Alfonso and Hudgens stood in a cemetery, the former placing a bouquet of flowers on the tombstone.

"Adelina..." Huggins looked at the name on the tombstone, thinking, "It's the woman who died in the defense of Muxi."

"I owe her a lot..." Alfonso, who was kneeling on one knee, slowly stood up: "A lot..."

Looking around, Alfonso asked, "There seem to be many tombstones here?"

Huggins nodded: "Your Majesty ordered that this hill be designated as the Kingdom Cemetery. Only those who have made great contributions to the country can be buried here after death. No one, no matter for any purpose, can expropriate it. Or use the land."

Alfonso sighed: "It turned out to be like this, now that I think about it... I also owe His Majesty a lot..."

Huggins nodded: "Let's go, let's go around the city."

The two who left the cemetery sat in the carriage and started their city tour along the neat and wide streets.

"There are now more than 220,000 permanent residents in Muxi City. If tourists, laborers, and sailors are included, it may exceed 500,000 people."

While pointing to the crowded street, Huggins said proudly: "Looking at all the countries in the diocese, even the entire population of the Papal State and its dependent countries is not comparable to the population of Muxi City alone."

Alfonso stuck his head out from the carriage, and said helplessly, "I'd rather ride a horse than sit on this."

Huggins said with a smile: "The cabinet has issued an ordinance that horses are not allowed to ride in downtown areas. However, MPs and knights are licensed to own carriages."

Seeing Huggins' smile, Alfonso frowned, but finally chose to remain silent.

"Look there! It's the Day of Victory Fountain Garden, the largest man-made lake garden with the most luxurious facilities in the entire continent. Just the huge fountain in the middle of the lake with a height of more than 20 meters cost a full 30,000 gold roses. At night, the fountains, lake water, spotlights, and colored glass turntables are turned on at the same time, which will decorate this artificial lake garden like a paradise."

"It's the pilgrimage palace of the Holy King, where a lot of money was spent to build a golden statue of His Majesty, and there are also precious works of art collected from various kingdoms..."

Alfonso turned his head and interrupted Huggins: "Who pays for the construction of these buildings?"

"Of course it's the cabinet. I remember that when you first left, the cabinet in charge of the kingdom's public expenditure was poor and empty. Sometimes even the salaries of the staff had to be borrowed from the royal family. Now everything is different, Muxi City has become richer Now, although the tax rate has not changed, the tax revenue is ten times the original amount, and the cabinet can use more money to spend on public construction and landscape roads, isn't this a good thing?"

After hearing what Huggins said, Alfonso turned his head noncommittally, and continued to look at the dazzling "prosperous scene" of Muxi City in front of him.

Suddenly, an abrupt thing jumped into Alfonso's eyes, causing him to stop the carriage.

Hearing Alfonso's shout, Huggins looked in the direction of his finger.

A middle-aged man in ragged clothes, with two young and thin girls, huddled in the corner, looking at the passers-by with pleading eyes.

In front of them, there was a wooden sign, with a piece of bread and a sad face drawn on it with a brush, and the words "Hungry! Hungry! Please give me food! 』

Surprised Alfonso pointed at the three people, one big, two small, and asked Huggins, "Are these people refugees who came to Muxi City to escape?"

The latter looked carefully, shook his head and said, "No, these people are legal citizens of Muxi City."

Alfonso's eyes widened: "What did you say?! How could the legal citizens of Muxi City be reduced to begging on the street?!"

Huggins lowered the curtains of the carriage and motioned Alfonso to whisper: "It's a long story, I'll explain it to you as I walk."