Sword of Dawnbreaker

Chapter 260 - 259: Soldrin’s Hesitation

Seven hundred years after his rebirth, Gawain Cecil was not exactly the same as the one in Soldrin’s memory.

As an elf with a naturally long lifespan, Soldrin had a much stronger memory than humans. He could clearly remember his seven hundred years of training life, and he also remembered those thrilling pioneering years seven hundred years ago. He witnessed how Gawain Cecil grew from a naive young knight into a legendary hero who defended a kingdom. He remembered this legendary hero’s brave and resolute figure, and he also remembered how peaceful he looked lying in his coffin...

Well, this last memory didn’t seem to be of much use, mainly because the strange topic that just ended was so impressive.

Gawain could also see the occasional hint of confusion and hesitation from Soldrin and could guess what the other was thinking, but it was unavoidable—he was ultimately not Gawain Cecil. Although the overwhelming memories he inherited allowed him to mimic the behavior of the true Gawain in many ways, any subtle difference could be detected by the naturally sensitive and memory-gifted elf.

Since that was the case, he decided not to forcefully mimic and act—if Soldrin discovered his deliberate actions, it would only increase suspicion.

He candidly brought up the topic: "Do you feel that I have changed quite a bit from seven hundred years ago?"

"There are indeed many differences," Soldrin nodded, "I know humans are a changeable species, but that change usually occurs when alive. You’ve been lying in a grave for seven hundred years, and I don’t know why you woke up so... different."

"A lot can change between life and death," Gawain shook his head with a smile, "To outsiders, I was an immobile corpse for those seven hundred years, but in fact, I experienced a lot."

Using a story packed with information to divert attention was quite effective, and Soldrin’s expression suddenly turned incredibly amazed: "You’re saying... during your seven hundred years of ’death’... you were consciously aware the whole time? Did your soul go somewhere? Is it really like the outside rumors, where your soul traveled through the Divine Realm and stayed in the palaces of the Goddesses of the Night for centuries?"

"Is there even such a rumor?" Gawain was taken aback, then began to suspect that this rumor might be a variant of the countless rumors he had originally spread. He then shook his head with a smile, "I don’t know what the Divine Realm looks like, but my soul did indeed transcend the limits of time and space. I saw much-hidden history, vanished kingdoms, and even knowledge not belonging to this world. You must know that compared to thirty-five years of human life, I have seen much more with my soul over these seven hundred years, so it’s natural for there to be some changes after revival."

This was a line of reasoning Gawain had considered long ago—he had initially conceived how to respond if a few long-lived "old acquaintances" popped up, questioning the changes in the resurrected Gawain Cecil. Any disguise or performance would eventually show flaws, so facing the question directly and providing a plausible explanation was the safest solution.

After all, in a world where all kinds of incomprehensible supernatural phenomena exist, as someone who accomplished even the feat of returning from death, claiming that his soul traversed time and space wasn’t something people would find hard to accept.

This was obviously an unbelievable story, but it was still within Soldrin’s range of acceptance. He simply looked at Gawain with wonder, clicking his tongue in amazement while nodding, "This is truly amazing... No wonder you suddenly know how to invent things. But have you told your two descendants about these things?"

"Rebecca and Aunt Heidi? They don’t know. I haven’t mentioned it," Gawain shook his head, "I’m afraid it would scare them."

This was just a casual fabrication, not to mention that with Rebecca’s reinforced level 13+ wit and epic brain circuits, how could such a small thing scare her? If anything, upon hearing that her ancestor could go on soul journeys while lying in a grave for seven hundred years, Little Dumpling’s first reaction would be to think it incredibly cool and then pester Gawain to tell her those fabricated stories...

But Soldrin didn’t think much of it, only nodding, "True, such extraordinary experiences don’t need to be shared with everyone."

"I’ve talked enough about myself. Let’s talk about you now," Gawain said, shifting the topic over, looking seriously at Soldrin, "Why are you in Typhon, and how did you become an officer there?"

"That question seemed like you asked before," Soldrin said with a somewhat helpless expression, "Asking again?"

"Last time was a casual ask, and you could answer casually. This time I’m seriously asking, and you should seriously answer," Gawain’s expression was unwavering, "Don’t tell me there’s someone in Typhon who can make your hair grow back?"

Soldrin’s expression stiffened, awkwardly turning his face aside, "Ahem, it has nothing to do with that..."

After pausing for a moment, he sighed softly and began to talk about himself: "I arrived in the Typhon Empire a hundred years ago."

"A hundred years ago..." Gawain frowned slightly, connecting it to a certain event, "The Fog Month rebellion?"

"During that upheaval," Soldrin leaned back in his chair, reflecting a sense of lament, "You know, I’m an elf, an elf who has traveled across the continent for many years, so I don’t feel much for the rise and fall of human dynasties or shifts in power. But the Fog Month Rebellion a hundred years ago made me feel like this kingdom was no longer a place suitable for me to stay in.

"In just six centuries, the descendants of the pioneers seem to have forgotten their ancestors’ arduous efforts on this land. A civil war tore the kingdom into pieces for everyone’s own interests. Charlie Moen’s descendants fought for the throne, and the guardians of the kingdom’s four parts muddied the waters, eventually leading to the farcical formation of a Second Dynasty by a bastard, and then that Grumman Cecil..."

Soldrin stopped here, looking a bit awkwardly at Gawain, "You should know what he did."

"Squandered my foundation," Gawain said calmly, "and even lost my shield."

"Grumman Cecil is actually an ambitious fellow. He hopes to end the civil war in the shortest possible time, and the way to do that is to quickly support a royal family member to become the new ruler of Anzu. He believes that only such achievements can match the illustrious reputation of his ancestors. Unfortunately, he has ambition but no ability. His grand aspirations have turned into arrogance and stupidity, and he has utterly destroyed everything of the Cecil Clan. As an outsider, I... can only watch it all happen."

Gawain casually asked, "Have you ever interacted with Grumman?"

"I even went to him directly, wanting to give him some advice and help," Soldrin snorted. "For your sake, I was ready to rejoin the Cecil Legion, but your descendant didn’t appreciate it at all—he seemed to think that human matters should be solved by humans themselves. Besides, he wants to build an achievement greater than yours in your time. If he accepted my help, then the glory of that achievement would have to be shared with his ancestor, making it impossible for him to surpass you. I really can’t understand his logic."

Gawain: "..."

He sincerely wanted to curse ’damn idiot,’ but considering his image, he forcibly restrained himself—fortunately, he has returned from the dead in another’s body. If the real Gawain Cecil were sitting here, he might have died again on the spot, and this time it would have been particularly painful...

Should I fake a heart attack now to increase my credibility?

Some unreliable thoughts flashed through Gawain’s mind, and he subconsciously asked, "And then?"

"And then? Then I went to Typhon," Soldrin shrugged. "I’m not a human. All my ties with the country of Anzu ended in that civil war—after confirming that there was still a Cecil Clan heir, I had no more attachments. What was I staying here for?"

The High-Ranked Ranger spoke very nonchalantly, yet Gawain could fully imagine what kind of mood he was in when he left the kingdom back then.

He was probably completely disheartened.

Soldrin emphasized his identity as an elf, emphasizing his detachment from this country, yet there is one fact he cannot deny: even if he is a person of another race, he once joined those northern pioneers, building this kingdom brick by brick, and weapon by weapon.

If he wasn’t completely disappointed with Anzu’s successors, why would he leave?

After figuring this out, Gawain asked, "What are your plans for the future?"

"The future? My future depends on what you decide," Soldrin was quite self-aware, "I’m still your captive after all."

"But whether to continue being a captive depends on your willingness," Gawain continued unmoved, "You have a choice now, whether to return to Typhon or stay with me, you can choose."

This time, Soldrin fell into a long and serious contemplation.

"If you had come out of the tomb and extended an invitation before the chaos of the Fog Month, I wouldn’t have hesitated at all," After a long pause, Soldrin finally raised his head and looked into Gawain’s eyes and said, "But my identity now is quite awkward."

"You’re a mercenary. I just found out, you haven’t pledged loyalty to the Typhon Royal Family."

"But I am loyal to my commission," Soldrin spread his hands, "Mercenaries also have professional ethics."

"So, you’re planning to return to Typhon?"

The High-Ranked Ranger fell into a dilemma: "That’s exactly my dilemma—I now know you’re the real deal, and if you ask me to turn around and leave, I would really think it’s a pity. Moreover... would you be willing to just let a High-Ranked Ranger like me return?"

"Of course, I hope you can stay; we’re short-handed everywhere now," Gawain shrugged, "So I’ve made up my mind, if you insist on returning to Typhon, then I’ll have to let you go and knock you out halfway to bring you back and persuade you again..."

Soldrin: "..."

"Just kidding," Gawain laughed, "I know what you’re worried about, so I won’t rush you into making a decision. You can stay a little longer in this territory and use your eyes to see if this place is worth getting involved in again. As for the Typhon Soldiers you brought... don’t worry, I said I’d spare them, and I won’t go back on my word. I’ll take care of them properly."

Soldrin let out a long breath: "That’s the best arrangement."