Embers of Embers

Chapter 438 Dedication
Ivar was wearing neat clothes, his messy hair was specially taken care of, and the messy stubble on his face was also trimmed. He looked much cleaner, as if he was going to attend some grand event.
He sat on the chair. This time there were no chains restraining him, but Ivar still felt decadent.There were guards all around him, and by the window where the setting sun was setting, Cornell was standing.
Currie is in charge of the negotiations, and Cornell is looking after Ivar. There is a long corridor between them.
"You're going to be free, Ivar."
Cornel said to Ivar that the man had been trying to hide himself in the shadows, and it was difficult for Cornel standing by the window to see him clearly.
"free?"
Probably because he hadn't spoken for too long, Ivar's voice was a little stiff.
He raised his head and looked out the window next to Cornell. Under the afterglow of the setting sun, he could vaguely see soaring seabirds. Music was already playing in the theater below, and they were transmitted to this room through the heavy stone walls. Among them, the singing was slow, and under the warm sunset, there was a touch of calmness.
"Yes, freedom, you will no longer be imprisoned, you can do whatever you want."
Cornell continued.
In fact, he shouldn't have said so many things to Ivar, but perhaps it was the vague common ground that was at play. Cornel really wanted to talk to Ivar about something...anything, just like chatting.
Cornel rarely meets someone who is "equal" to him. He is the heir to the Garrel royal family, and Ivar in the shadow is a descendant of the Lodbrok family. They both have the blood of the king flowing in their bodies. .
"Do you think that is freedom? If I leave Gaul Naluo, I will just be bound by another thing... No one is free."
Ivar's voice was a little sad.
"That's at least better than now."
Cornel didn't understand Ivar's sadness, he just felt that there were not many opportunities, and he might never see Ivar again after today.
"They should have been negotiating, Curry and the guy named Highbould."
Cornel looked at the time. Soon he should lead the guards to escort Ivar away.
"Hybold?"
Ivar read this familiar name, and for some reason a smile appeared on his face.
"However, I still want to know one thing, Ivar. Curry has always been there before. I am not very good at asking questions. Now is a good time."
Cornell glanced out the window. A large number of believers had gathered in Theater Square. Just as Curry said, the wheels of history were already rolling and no one could stop them.
He knew this very well, so he just glanced at it, and then walked to Ivar's side.
"what do you wish to ask?"
Ivar raised his head, and the moment their eyes met, Cornel involuntarily averted his eyes.
It was clear that the guy in front of him was a born deformity and a bargaining chip on the negotiation table. Apart from his blood, Ivar was worthless. Logically speaking, Cornel would never be afraid of such a person, but at that moment he seemed to It was as if his eye pupil had been cut by something.
Cornel looked at Ivar warily, as if there was something violent hidden under this cowardly body.
"What do you think of doing such a thing for a woman?"
Cornell was curious.
"You are the king's heir. Like me, if you think about it, many things are within your reach... But why would you do such a stupid thing? I really want to know."
This is the thing that Cornell doesn't understand the most. It can be said that the beginning of all this stems from Irene's actions. She successfully deceived Ivar.
"To be honest, I don't believe you are stupid enough to believe that woman's words. In other words, you knew the result, but you still followed her without hesitation, right?"
It was so strange, so strange. When Cornel learned that everything went so smoothly, he couldn't figure out the reasons for these things.
He smelled a hint of conspiracy, subtle but unsettling.
Cornel had also suggested this to Currie, but perhaps Ivar's disguise was too perfect. His decadent look deceived everyone, and the darkness from his heart covered him. Even the cunning Currie Can only be convinced.
Cornel noticed that the invisible shadow completely covered himself and Gaulnaro.
Was it really the Iron Law Bureau that deceived Ivar?Or did he come on purpose?
Cornel couldn't figure it out.
"A reason?"
Ivar showed a rare smile about this, he didn't know if it was self-deprecating, or he was thinking of that short and beautiful time, the smile on his face was so inconsistent.
"Yes, I left with Irene sincerely. I know she is lying to me, and I also know her purpose. I know all these things..."
Ivar seemed troubled as he spoke, as if he didn't know how to explain to Cornel. He almost wanted to speak, but finally held back.
"and then?"
Cornel pressed, but Ivar still didn't give his reason.
He is not afraid of Ivar. This place is full of choir guards, and Ivar is just a natural deformity. Cornel does not think Ivar will pose much threat to him.
"Then...it's hard for me to explain this kind of thing to someone like you." Ivar said.
"My kind?"
"Yes, you are the kind of person who bathes in the sun."
Ivar kept a disobedient smile on his face. He seemed to really want to smile at Cornel, but he seemed not very familiar with this expression, which made his smile look fake.
"I've been in the dark for so long that a glimmer of light is worth everything, even if it's false... at least I had it briefly, and that's enough."
Ivar said something that Cornel couldn't understand.
The conversation between the two fell into silence for a while, and after a while of silence, it was Ivar who spoke first.
"You said Haybold is already here?"
"That's how it goes according to time."
"Okay, I get it now."
Ivar nodded and looked out the window. The setting sun slowly sank into the sea level, and the warm light retreated step by step under the coldness of the night.
He was a little reluctant to bear this last light, and said with some sigh.
"I like it here, Gaulnaro. It is much warmer than the Viking countries. There is fertile land everywhere instead of solid frozen soil."
Cornel looked at Ivar a little strangely. From Ivar's point of view, he should hate Gaul Naluo, but judging from his expression, the love he said seemed to be sincere.
"My father, Ragnar Lodbrok, Lord of Ice and Sea, I assume you know him, don't you."
"Well, the warrior who unified the Viking kingdoms, who doesn't know his name?" Conil answered.
"Do you know? The thing my father regrets most in his life is becoming the King of Ice and Sea."
Ivar told the story of being left in the dust.
Cornel's expression became serious. He believed that what Ivar told was not a lie, but the story was still a bit too surprising.
The most regretful thing a king regrets is becoming a king.
"My father was 16 years old when he first went to sea alone. It was the dead of winter in the Viking countries. Everyone was shivering in the cold wind and not having enough to eat. In order to survive and prevent their relatives from starving to death, Like many Vikings in their lives, he became a pirate, plundering wealth and food."
Everything seems to have returned to the past, and the picture is filled with the yellowish color of time.
"He succeeded. It seemed that the god Odin was protecting him. He plundered enough supplies to survive the cold winter...but the cold winter would always come back. When the second cold winter hit, someone joined his team, and the plundered ships became There are more and more people, and there are more and more people they need to take care of..."
Ivar's voice was very soft, as if he was telling an ancient story.
“In this way, he plundered year after year, until one day he looked back and was surprised to find that countless people were following behind him, like an army.
He hoped that more people could survive. To this end, he tried to unify the conflicting countries. After many years, he did it, but at this time he found that the people he had to take care of had changed from a few to a few. Relatives have become countless people. "
Cornel swallowed. It was obviously just a story, but he felt an inexplicable coldness coming from Ivar's body. It seemed like the fragrance of flowers or the cold wind blowing on his face.
"After becoming the king, he discovered the cruel truth about why the countries have been fighting. Because this cold and barren land could not feed so many people. People could only kill, fight, and plunder to reduce the population. The so-called The dedication to God Odin is just to beautify this cruel fact.
Many people still died in the cold winter every year, and more and more people died. As a king, he wanted to save his people, but he found that he could not do it. In the past, he only had to plunder a merchant ship, which was enough to feed the entire family, but now Woolen cloth?He has to feed countless people in the kingdoms, so what should he plunder? "
The light disappeared inch by inch, and darkness was coming. Gradually, in this dim room, Cornel could hardly see Ivar's face clearly.
"Yes, plunder is not a solution. What can solve this dilemma is not the honor of God Odin, nor the promise of going to the Hall of Valor after death."
In the darkness, Ivar's voice became evil, with a sickening blood energy, as if he had transformed into some kind of unspeakable monster in an instant.
"The solution to this dilemma is war, a victorious and cruel war. Maybe many people will die, but we may be able to plunder warm and fertile land. There will be no more cold winters, no more deaths, and there will be abundant crops. grow, more people will survive."
Under the words of the devil, Cornel understood everything in an instant, but he never imagined that the truth was so cruel, nor did he expect that Ivar was so crazy and willing to dedicate himself as a sacrifice to this crazy man. war.
Cornel wanted to shout something, but before his voice could come out, Ivar grabbed his throat, and incredible power erupted from his skinny arms.
"Plunder, keep plundering, until the descendants of God Odin are no longer disturbed by the cold wind, until everyone can live happily."
The turbulent air waves carried violent energy and shattered the glass. Everyone wailed in pain under the shock, and then the sound of a landslide penetrated into the ears, almost taking away everyone's hearing, but in the long lingering sound Cornel heard it and saw it.
Ivar's expression was twisted together, like an evil ghost, and his voice reached his ears clearly.
"For all this, I am willing to sacrifice."
The broken noise enveloped everyone, clashing back and forth in the dim room. The sweetness of blood mixed with the cold winter in the north, and began to boil and roar.
(End of this chapter)