Pillar of Yita

Closed the door.

...

A whole night without words.

Having finally escaped the arduous conditions of the wilderness, everyone slept well on this day, especially Tianlan, Ai Xiaoxiao, and Gita, who appeared refreshed the next morning, a stark contrast to before.

The snow was still light the next day, seemingly indicating that the relentless snowstorm might finally be clearing. Fang Hong discussed the Crow’s Claw Sanctuary with his Ship’s Officer during breakfast. He was indeed somewhat intrigued by the sudden appearance of the ’Sanctuary’ but was even more curious about what lay behind it.

He suspected it might have been Elpaxin or a local power intervening, or perhaps His Highness the Prince, as only they would have such intent and motivation.

Yet Hilveld listened and smiled then shook her head, saying, ”It wouldn’t be His Highness the Prince.”

Fang Hong looked at her, somewhat surprised.

”He’s not that type of person,” Hilveld said with a smile. ”Conspiracist, politician, power-seeker, supporter of rebels—these are the external descriptions of him. But you’ll understand what kind of person he is when you meet that old man.”

Fang Hong was momentarily stunned but still nodded. His Highness the Prince was indeed considered a legend in Colin Ishurian. In fact, before coming to this world, he had heard many tales about the man—

The previous king had only two sons; the elder was the former King Silian III.

The younger, of course, is His Highness the Prince.

It was rumored that His Highness the Prince was born disabled and unattractive, without inheriting his parents’ handsome and beautiful looks, far from the stature of the former king. In his youth, he was known for his reclusive and eccentric nature, never accepted by the outside world.

Later, this young man traveled alone to the Silver Tower to study with the Eagle Fort Master Dannydil. However, Dannydil had never made any comments about this student, and outsiders only knew that he left Eagle Fort soon after.

After that, he traveled across the continent, even leaving Colin Ishurian to go to Osh and Rota. By the time he returned home, the former king had ascended the throne. He loyally served his older brother behind the scenes and earned the trust of Silian III.

It’s said that this Prince’s abilities are extraordinary. In the Battle of Bain and the subsequent purges of Dragon Worshippers in the Southern Region, he was a key figure.

He also supported many young talents, including today’s Sir Roban. The Avenquin Elves were also beneficiaries of his mentorship, and even Hilveld’s father—Sir Mawei—once received aid from the Prince.

Through the joint efforts of the enlightened Silian III and His Highness the Prince, the Colin Kingdom slowly emerged from the half-century slump under the shadow of the Dragon Witch event from a century ago.

The Prince consequently acquired many friends and political allies within the kingdom, including not just humans and elves but dwarves and Istania too, his connections spread across Colin Ishurian.

However, it is also because of this that the New King naturally felt apprehensive of his uncle, and the Prime Minister’s faction saw him as a thorn in their side.

About this legendary figure, most folk tales recount his early experiences and his peculiar appearance, and few can genuinely sketch this Prince in his work and daily life. There are many opinions regarding his character and preferences.

Under the intentional propaganda of the Prime Minister’s side, most believe that the Prince is a dark, cold-blooded conspirator plotting numerous schemes behind the scenes.

Even Fang Hong himself couldn’t help but fall into this stereotype, but after Hilveld’s reminder, he realized that he truly didn’t know what kind of person the Prince really was.

Thinking that he would soon be meeting this person, Fang Hong felt keenly curious. His Highness the Prince and the former King Silian III were blood brothers, only a few years apart, and considering the former king had passed, the Prince must be close to the age of seventy.

The former King Silian III had a great reputation among the people, and as someone who created an era alongside Silian III, the living legend of Colin Ishurian—what sort of person could he really be?

Breakfast wasn’t lavish, but at least everyone had enough to eat, suggesting that while resources were scarce, the situation hadn’t yet reached critical levels.

In reality, Grey Owl Town’s proximity to Gula Port theoretically precluded the possibility of scarcity. Fang Hong realized after inquiring that the Crow’s Claw Sanctuary enforced a rather stringent supply control regime for the entire town.

That said, given the broader current environment, such measures were perhaps not entirely incorrect.

After breakfast, everyone went their separate ways to attend to their affairs. Luo Hao, Gita, and Miss Tata remained at the inn to analyze intelligence and coordinate the team. Should unforeseen situations arise, they could relay information promptly to everyone.

The previous day, Parker and Xiangzi returned to the inn before the agreed time, seemingly having stayed out of trouble. Fang Hong didn’t bother to ask where they’d been.

He guessed that the Papalarians had likely gone off to have their own fun and knew that Parker had already spent all his pocket money, likely making him indebted to Xiangzi once again.