Embers of Embers

Chapter 431 The Dying Man
Corey walked to the window and opened the curtains, allowing the midday sun to penetrate into the room and slightly lighten the darkness.
The light reflected his cheeks pale, probably because he had been hiding in the darkness for too long. He gave people a sickly look, and his skin was ridiculously white, as if there was no blood flowing underneath it.
"Are you feeling okay?"
Corey asked towards the darkness behind him. He turned around, his movements were very stiff, and he was a little unsteady for a moment.
"It's time to replace this thing."
Corey muttered to himself. After standing firm, he lifted up his coat and saw steel nails hitting his legs. They were mechanically connected together to assist Corey in his movements.
"Well, humans can't escape the attack of time. I used to just feel that my foot was a little lame, but within a few years it became completely lame."
Currie seemed to be speaking to another person, but also to himself.
"How did it come about? A bomb exploded next to me, and shrapnel cut into my thigh and my chest. Since then, I have been suffering from these diseases. Every year, in order to keep me alive, iron The law office will spend a lot of money.”
Corey said and touched his chest again. Under the wrap of his clothes, there was a hideous scar that was aching faintly.
There was no reply in the darkness. The other party seemed to want to ignore him, or maybe he was a silent person.
"Let's talk, Ivar. I'm very curious about you Vikings."
Corey said as he opened the curtains completely, and the dazzling sunlight filled the entire room. The dust also illuminated the man in the depths.
It was a somewhat thin man, and his exposed skin was somewhat similar to that of Corey. It probably had also not been exposed to the sun for too long, giving it a strange pale color.
He was curled up in the corner of the iron bed, wrapped in a blanket, his head lowered, breathing deeply, like a silent sculpture.
Ivar Lodbrok.
There were no obvious scars on the man's body, and it seemed that Ivar had not been tortured or beaten. Apart from the somewhat bad living environment, as a captive and hostage, Ivar's treatment seemed pretty good.
"What are you talking about? There's nothing to talk about."
Probably because he hadn't spoken for too long, Ivar's voice was hoarse.
He raised his head, his sickly face expressionless, but such a speechless expression made Corey feel a beast-like ferocity, as if he was facing some kind of terrible monster.
"Interesting……"
Corey whispered.
Looking at the embarrassed Ivar, even though he had seen him many times, Corey still felt a slight tremor. It was difficult for him to describe Ivar with the existing vocabulary. He was very contradictory and strange.
Perhaps due to the blood of the Vikings, even though Ivar was born with a deformity and an extremely weak body, under those eyes, it seemed that there was a violent heart bound in this fragile body.
Yes, Ivar is the heir of God Odin, a child of the Lodbrok family. If he is really a coward, Curry may be disappointed instead.
"I just received a letter. The Viking countries sent envoys to exchange hostages with us... which means that your father has agreed to our proposal. In a while, you will leave Gaulnaro and return to the Viking countries. The country is over, this is probably our last chance to get along, Ivar."
Corey sat on the edge of the bed and looked at Ivar in the corner. After hearing his words, his eyes were obviously shaken a little. It seemed that he did not expect that the Viking countries would really agree with Gaul Naluo. The proposal, no... this is more than a proposal, for the Viking countries, this is a threat from Gaul Nalo.
But they compromised. Faced with this threat, they actually compromised.
Ivar's pupils constricted, but quickly relaxed again. He ignored Curry, and just kept his previous posture, sitting quietly in the corner.
"Don't you have anything to say? This is probably the first time you have left the territory of the Viking countries, right? Gallonaro is much warmer than there. There is no need for you to wrap yourself in a blanket all the time."
Currie is still trying to communicate with Ivar.
Ivar didn't say a word, but grabbed the blanket tightly and wrapped himself tightly.
He raised his head and looked at the world outside the window. There was a beautiful blue with warm sunshine falling.
Curry is right. The living environment here is far better than that in the Viking countries. There are no cold winds, extreme low temperatures and endless glaciers.
Sometimes Ivar would feel that the Viking countries were a cursed land, where the sea was always roaring, the solid and cold land could not produce any crops, and the resources were extremely scarce, which even made all the Vikings, in order to survive, Had to become a pirate.
Thinking this way, Ivar looked a little sad.
"I heard Eileen mention you. You were called father by her...blood relative?"
Ivar finally spoke, he asked curiously.
"No, I am the father of many people. The Iron Law Bureau needs the most loyal people."
Corey didn't expect Ivar to actually speak. Although the conversation was a little different from what he thought, it was a good start.
Curley knew very little about the Ice King's information. Although the Viking nations were preparing to unite with Gaul Nalo, it was Curley's style to be prepared for everything.
He hoped to get some information from Ivar. Curry also thought about torture Ivar, but that directly eliminated the potential alliance, so he had no choice but to give up.
"Many people? Irene is one of them?" Ivar asked.
"Yes, I was born in a very bad environment, and there are many people who are just as bad. I gave them the ability to live, and they work for me, which is a good deal."
Corey did not answer these questions directly, but from the reverberation of his words, Ivar could already guess a lot of things.
"Irene said you are a madman. You can easily give up many things for the rise of Gaul Naro, even if it means selling your soul to the devil."
Ivar said calmly.
"Oh? On the contrary, I feel that I am a very good person... Although to you I am a bad person, but to the people of Gaul Naluo, I am an out-and-out hero. With my efforts, , Gaulonaluo will usher in a greater tomorrow."
Corey doesn't like to talk about simple good and evil. This is what children would say. He just has a different stance and different benefits.
"And do you think that woman's words are credible? She handed you over to me. It feels bad to be deceived, right?"
Cory tried to get to Ivar's heart and punched at the damaged spot.
Ivar was indifferent and had no reaction. What was even more strange was that after a brief period of calm, there was a slight smile on his face.
"You...don't hate her?"
Corey asked confused.
Ivar shook his head. He seemed to have figured something out and was not as alert as before. He leaned against the wall and said leisurely.
"If I don't hate her, how could I hate her?"
"But she cheated on you."
"I know."
Corey felt something was wrong. This must be the first time he had such a close conversation with Ivar. He had been dealing with matters regarding Orthodoxy with Lawrence before, and he didn't have time until now.
"You knew she lied to you and you still followed her?"
"Yeah." Ivar nodded.
"why?"
Curry asked, he didn't think Ivar was an idiot, so he must have his reasons for doing so.
"Why? I do, that's all."
Ivar didn't understand Corey's doubts, he just answered simply.
"I can't explain this kind of thing, like you know it's wrong, but you're willing to do it, just for the short-term beauty, I know it sounds ridiculous, but that's it, I just do it for her It doesn't matter whether the time we spend together is real or fake."
Corey was startled, a little angry and funny.
"You sound like a fool."
"I'm already a fool, and I'm still a disgrace to the Vikings," Ivar said, raising his hands. There were shackles hanging on his slender wrists. It was obviously bad, but he didn't look sad, "Someone like me No one, not even the god Odin, will accept me.”
"But who cares?"
Ivar said again.
"Human beings are such creatures. Sometimes they abandon everything they have held on to for something ridiculous."
Listening to Ivar's "unrepentant" words, Corey didn't know what to say for a moment. It seemed that Irene might be his best child, and she could deceive such a weird guy into being like this.
I was so determined that I still have no regrets until now.
"Then what's next for you? After you return to the Viking Kingdoms."
Ever since Ivar was kidnapped, he had become a shame to the Viking nations, not to mention that the Viking nations had made concessions because of him. Curry could easily think of Ivar's subsequent story, but he couldn't imagine it.
"Go back? I no longer have the face to see my father. If possible, I want to stay here."
Ivar said looking out the window.
"I like it here. Although this is your country, it is very warm here. There is no cold wind or winter."
It was very weird, very weird. Curry couldn't guess Ivar's thoughts at all, and he couldn't figure out what this guy was thinking. He thought Ivar might be an infatuated lover, but now it seems that he is very weird, so weird.
In his impression, the Vikings were a group of passionate lunatics who would sacrifice their lives for their souls to return to the Hall of Valor, but Ivar completely shattered his understanding of these. He didn't care about these honors and beliefs.
"Don't be surprised. They all said that I was a child abandoned by the god Odin, so I was born with deformities. I should have been killed when I was a child, but because of my father's kindness, I, an unfavored child, survived. , I don’t care about any gods or glory.
And I think that kind of thing is stupid, and it's ridiculous to think that dying in battle is a good thing for some weird reason. "
Ivar said slowly.
"So sometimes I don't blame myself for anything. If I really feel guilty, I just feel that I have disappointed my father and brothers. After all, they love me and protect me as much as possible."
"Do you care what your father thinks of you?"
Curry deliberately brought the topic to the King of Ice Sea. Curry didn't care about this freak's bad life. What he cared about was the guy named Ragnar Lodbrok.
"I love my father very much. Thanks to him, I survived. Sometimes I hate him very much. If he killed me, I wouldn't have to face this cruel world."
Ivar said and took back his hands. He gently stroked the deformed feet under the blanket, which was hidden in the darkness.
"What kind of person is he?" Currie asked.
"Chosen Viking, raider, warrior, Odin's favorite warrior."
The words paused, and Ivar spoke again.
"But he is also a poor guy. My father once told me that the thing he regretted most was becoming the King of the Ice Sea. He thought that after the civil war ended, the Viking countries would usher in a better tomorrow, but every time Many people still starve to death and freeze to death in winter.
He was confused. "
Ivar looked at Cory and replied with a smile.
This was the first time that the two of them looked at each other. Before this, Ivar had been deliberately avoiding his eyes, but now Corey finally looked directly into his eyes.
At this moment, Corey had a strange feeling. He didn't know how to describe it specifically. Yes, Ivar is such a person. Everything is hidden deep in his heart. You think you understand him, but you seem to be attracted by him. Introduced into a misunderstanding.
It was a pair of dark blue eyes, as deep as the silent sea. His smile seemed so false at this moment, like a mask.
Everyone wears a mask, different masks, colorful masks, hiding their essence behind illusion.
"Who did the Viking nations send?"
Ivar suddenly asked.
"Hybold, your former bodyguard." Cory replied.
"Is that so?"
Ivar didn't seem surprised by the answer. He sat up straight and looked calmly.
"Hebold, that is an annoying guy. He always laughs at me for my deformity. He once said that I could not return to the Hall of Valor because I could not even hold a battle ax, let alone fight.
I am ashamed of my bloodline and cannot be considered a warrior of Odin. I am a living disgrace and destined to be unable to die a so-called heroic death. "
Perhaps no one would have thought that Hebold would say such a thing to Ivar, but judging from the coldness of his tone, it was true.
There is no need for Ivar to lie. Combined with Ivar's previous remarks, Corey vaguely felt that Ivar could be betrayed. Of course, he would not be so hasty. After all, he is also the director of the Iron Law Bureau. How could he be so easily betrayed? It doesn't suit his cunning style to trust others too much.
"Director Curley, I can call you that, right?"
Ivar asked again, to which Cory nodded.
"You will also be there with me during the exchange, right?"
"Ah."
Currie answered in the affirmative.
Ivar didn't say anything else. He still had that sad smile, and then looked out the warm window. His expression was very downcast, like a terminally ill person who was about to die.
(End of this chapter)