Civilization: Beyond Two Worlds

391 Sunlight

The night wind was cool and slowly blew. In the small garden on the west terrace of Maple Leaf Palace, the Grand Duke leaned against the railing and stared at the distant city. This was an excellent viewing place that could take in half the city.

At this moment, it was already late. Star lights lit up in the city and gathered.

The so-called night scenery was really a scene forged by humans.

In the changing day and night of the planet’s rotation, only the fire and light gathered by settlements could cut through the ancient darkness and leave their traces. Even in outer space, they could see this light. This was proof of civilization, proving the power of civilization to raise light in the eternal darkness.

“It feels like this? My city.”

The dazzling light gathered together meant that this city had already recovered a certain amount of vitality and survived the danger of destruction. An epic victory was like a miracle. How could there not be a banquet and celebration?

He could even hear singing from afar here.

“It’s very beautiful, simple, and natural.”

Kang De stood beside the Grand Duke and replied.

The Grand Duke was stunned for a moment before touching his face. “Young man, I have to admit that because of Tina, I seem to be a little prejudiced against you. I even feel that your answer is filled with subtle mockery.”

Kang De opened his eyes, his gaze as pure as a spring. “It’s indeed very interesting and beautiful.”

“…”

The Grand Duke sighed.

Laughter and song sounded in the wind.

The two men looked out at the city.

“How lively.”

Kang De sighed.

It was indeed very difficult to see such pure joy on Earth. Celebration, liveliness, and sincere smiles. Many people shared the same joy, sincere and pure.

A similar scene in his memory could be traced back to the night when they successfully hosted the Olympics.

However, he could understand this liveliness, joy, and even revelry.

In the past two days, the Goethe people had played quite crazily. After all, they had escaped death. It was human nature to play.

However, Maple Leaf Palace was very cold. The Grand Duke had no intention of celebrating at all. He did not even hold any slightly grand banquet. Tina’s brothers and sisters were all busy. Politics, economy, military, popular sentiment… There were always endless things to do. The officials of the various government departments were also working overtime every day. When they were about to lose the war, they were extremely busy. If they won, they were actually even busier.

At this moment, the Grand Duke said indifferently, “Of course, it’s very lively. There are many people who invited you to the banquet, right? Why don’t you personally experience this commotion?”

Yes, in contrast to the coldness of the Maple Leaf Palace, gifts and invitations for Kang De were sent in from the outside world. They piled up like a mountain. There were even two rooms vacated by the palace to store them. There were rare treasures, rare treasures, antiques, magic equipment, large and small, and everything.

If not for Tedrell, there might even be living people.

In fact, there was even a group of people asking around day and night, asking the servants of the palace, and even asking Valentine about Kang De’s preferences, likes, and interests.

Such a scene was much larger than Valentine’s at that time.

Moreover, only two to three days had passed, and the intensity had even increased.

Nobles, rich people, scholars, artists, mages… All kinds of people from all walks of life stuffed gifts at Kang De with all kinds of thoughts.

Its goal was only to meet the noble Prince Kang De.

Of course, Kang De rejected.

How uncomfortable would it be to be surrounded by a group of unfamiliar simps who flattered and sang praises?

Together, they were not as good as Hong San.

He shook his head and said, “I’m not interested. I don’t understand their sorrow and joy. I don’t know them and don’t want to respond to their schemes and thoughts. Moreover, with an opening, it’ll be even harder to deal with in the future.”

The Grand Duke snorted indifferently, “You did well in that matter.”

Kang De was stunned. That matter?

Then, he reacted.

Among those mountains of gifts, what Kang De cared about the most was none other than love letters that were filled with deep affection and admiration. Every letter had beautiful handwriting, and they were even printed with the girl’s hot lips or dozens of lines of poetry. Clearly, she was a girl who had admired Kang De for a long time and was willing to recommend herself.

The palace butler who handed these gifts to him also whispered to him with a subtle and reserved expression about the nature of these letters… He was unhappy, but the Goethe people did not have the guts to take away the love letters written to him.

This was the first time in his life he had received so many girls’ love letters.

This was the first time he knew that he was actually so popular.

It was really like a dream.

If he had strength, he would be chased by girls. What a good era.

However, these bold and sincere girls who were brave enough to pursue love had miscalculated something.

Cathayan, His Highness Kang De, the guardian of Goethe, the deterrence of the elves, the enemy of Twilight, the strongest on the continent, the Sword of Deterrence, the Grand Forbidden Spell Master, the youngest peerless expert in the world…

He was illiterate.

—Who would understand what you wrote?!

—It’s useless no matter how much I write! Why don’t I just write a few colorful pictures?!

No matter how thick-skinned Kang De was, he could not do anything to get others to read him love letters. It was equivalent to saying that before he learned the grammar of the other world, these love letters were about as useless as paper.

After thinking for a moment, Kang De waved his hand and endured the pain to use these love letters.

They all sent people to Tina.

Since it was useless, he should at least use it to gain Tina’s favor.

The palace butler who had previously handed him the “love letter written to his son-in-law by a wild woman outside” with a frown was so happy this time that he walked quickly and jogged to report the good news.

Now that he heard the Grand Duke say this, Kang De was enlightened.

Despicable, really despicable.

It seemed that not only had he gained Tina’s favor, but he had also gained his father-in-law’s favor.

The Grand Duke still looked a little unhappy and said sarcastically, “Aren’t you tempted at all? These beautiful, elegant, innocent, and cute young ladies admire you very much.”

Kang De said righteously, “How are they loving me? They’re clearly coveting my forbidden curse. They’re despicable!”

“Well said!”

These words were right on the Grand Duke’s temper. He slapped the railing and shouted, “Remember this! No matter how many women please you, show their love, and seduce you, they have other motives. Those who covet your strength, power, and status are all lowly! In this world, the only person who will like you is my daughter! Do you understand?!”

“…”

—D*mn, what do you mean?

What do you mean by only your daughter will like me?

—Are you scolding me or your daughter?

Kang De turned around and wanted to say something, but he smelled a faint smell of alcohol.

D*mn.

Only then did he see that his father-in-law was hugging a wine bottle on his left. It was unknown where it came from.

Leckos picked up the wine bottle at the side and waved it at Kang De. “Want some?”

“…No.”

“Why?”

“It tastes bad.”

“Nonsense! The wine is so delicious! Could it be that your alcohol tolerance is bad? How can a man not be good?!”

“I… my alcohol tolerance is alright, right?”

“Then let’s compete!”

“…No.”

“Why?”

“I’m afraid I’ll drink you to death.”

The alcohol was extracted after drinking it. Not to mention the Grand Duke, even Duan Yu would die from competing with him.

These words were really too provocative, especially for men. When they gathered together and bragged, they would always compare some strange things.

The most common comparisons were length, diameter, and time.

Below that was alcohol tolerance.

As for strength, wife, car, and house, they had to be ranked back.

When the Grand Duke heard this, he was not convinced and shouted, “Come! Come! Let’s compete! Let’s go to the palace wine cellar! The wine collected and accumulated by the ancestors over the generations! Let’s see who drinks to death first!”

Kang De sighed and held the Grand Duke. “You’re drunk.”

“Of course… I’m drunk!”

Grand Duke Leckos shook his hand aside and pointed at him. A silly smile appeared on his face as he was slightly drunk and muttered, “There are some things I only dare to tell you after drinking…!”

Seeing him like this, Kang De seemed to understand something and revealed an indifferent smile.

He leaned against the fence and nodded with a smile. “Alright, tell me. I’m listening.”

He put a hand into his pocket smoothly, activated his phone, and turned on the camera mode. Then, he took it out and casually placed it in his chest pocket.

The Grand Duke knew nothing about this.

A wild and even proud smile appeared on his face. He pointed at Kang De with slight provocation, “You, Kang De, the Cathayan, you saved my country, you saved my daughter, and you saved me. I’m very grateful to you! I’m sincerely grateful to you! However, I… am not afraid of you!”

Kang De nodded and said, “Yes, yes, yes.”

“I won’t wag my tail at you and please you like those dogs outside. I have a favor to ask of you. I want to rely on your strength. These are all facts. In exchange, be it money, industries, or things, I’ll pay you the corresponding price, but this has to be a fair transaction, not wagging my tail and begging!”

“I definitely won’t sell my daughter!”

He held the wine bottle and shouted.

Kang De still nodded. “Yes, of course, you won’t do that.”

“Nonsense!”

The Grand Duke took a large gulp of wine. The wine slid from his mouth to his neck and stained his clothes.

“On the day of the siege, I was already prepared to welcome the end of Tedrell and surrender to the elves. I could even continue to maintain my status and power, but I would rather die than bend my knees to the elves in exchange for the continuation of this humiliating homeland. Tell me, if I don’t bend my knees to the elves, will I bend my knees to you?”

Kang De shook his head and said, “Of course not.”

“I don’t even know how to bend my knees. Will I betray my beloved daughter?!”

Although this logic was subtle and funny, it was very convincing when matched with the Grand Duke’s tone and expression.

Kang De cooperated. “Of course not.”

The Grand Duke pointed at him and shouted, “Then why did you say this about me before?! And in front of Tina!”

“…”

Kang De could only say, “I was wrong. I was wrong. I misunderstood you.”

“Tell me! Will I wag my tail and beg you for protection?”

“Of course not. You’re an unyielding man.”

“That’s completely true! How can I kneel to you?! You should be kneeling to me!”

The Grand Duke covered his face and muttered, “You should kneel down and beg me to marry your daughter to you. D*mn, I don’t want to agree, but I…”

He turned to the side, “D*mn, I’m not a qualified monarch or a qualified father. My country is in a mess. I’ve been humiliated by external enemies and have to exchange protection from the strong. I’m both a monarch and a father. You’re both a guardian and a son-in-law. I want to separate these two things, but it’s actually very difficult. I can’t protect my country or even let my daughter have pure love…”

As the Grand Duke spoke, he tried his best to turn his head to the other side.

No matter what identity he had, he could not cry in front of this man.

Then, he felt his shoulder being gently patted a few times.

“Sure.”

The Grand Duke turned his head slightly and wiped his face carelessly, looking at Kang De in a daze.

Kang De raised his palm and clenched it in the air.

“Look, this is a sword. It’s held in my hand.”

“It can destroy a large army of the world’s overlords in a single strike, end a local high-intensity war, deter any country in the world, change the direction of a global war, and make a peak country fall under the shadow of a terrifying deterrence day and night. It can change the world. It saved Goethe. It can do more and more things in the future…”

He looked at the Grand Duke and smiled, “In your words, a person with such a sword can change the color of the world and silence it. Can’t he obtain a pure and simple love?”

Kang De blinked. “Old thing, if you’re not confident in yourself, you have to be confident in your son-in-law.”

The Grand Duke looked at Kang De in a daze and was silent for a long time.

Only then did he slowly turn around.

“…Arrogant kid, rude, rude, rude, and barbarian.”

He took out something from the inner pocket of his robe and handed it to Kang De without turning around, “Take it, little b*stard, but don’t even think about snatching my daughter away so easily like this!”

The moment he saw that thing, Kang De realized what it was.

Treasure, the treasure Tina had mentioned.

It was a crimson scroll collected by the Tedrell family, one of the Seven Heroes.

A gift from the gods…

He slowly took it.

The crimson scroll found on the Holy Seal Islands was branded with the power mark of the Dragon of Time and Space, Akatum. He had obtained the approval of the head of the gods and obtained its power.

Then this… was it?

When he touched this ancient scroll made of a strange material, nothing happened.

When Kang De held Akatum’s crimson scroll, it would burn with golden flames on its own. However, nothing happened to the one in Tedrell.

However, he could sense that it was not a fake…

Could it be that it was ignoring him since he already had one?

Or was it…

A thought flashed through Kang De’s mind. He wanted to ask the Grand Duke about the inside details of this scroll again, but he saw Leckos, who had handed over the scroll, staring blankly at the night scene of Red Maple City.

…Another day.

Kang De was about to call someone to bring this drunkard back when he suddenly heard the Grand Duke say, “Kang De.”

“Yes?”

“Look, listen.”

The Grand Duke pointed at the scenery of the distant city and asked, “What do you see and hear?”

Kang De said, “I see the bustling night scene and hear laughter and songs. Everyone is celebrating the end of the war, drinking, and singing… What’s wrong?”

“Is this all you saw and heard?”

“…What do you mean?”

“Do you want to know what I hear and see?”

“Please speak.”

“I…”

The Grand Duke’s tone became calm and was no longer as wild as before.

“I heard cries and saw people who forced smiles and even expressionless faces. Kang De, victory is not only joy. There are always sacrifices in war. There are always people whose sorrow is greater than joy. Their cries are covered by the joyous song of victory, and their sorrow is covered by the smiles of more people, but you can’t ignore them and not care about the sorrow and pain of these people because of this… This is the Grand Duke’s responsibility.”

“Tell me, how can I celebrate? I can’t hear laughter or see the praise and joy of the nobles. I only hear many cries, their sad faces…”

Leckos leaned against the railing. His tone became softer and softer as he slowly fell asleep.

He was still muttering to himself and said in a low voice, “After all, the more sunlight illuminates the ground, the more we should care about those people who are still enduring the darkness…”

Kang De was deep in thought.

Even he did not notice that at this moment, the crimson scroll in his hand seemed to light up slightly.

…

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