Steel steam and flame

Then there was silence like the clouds in the sky. The color of the broken clouds was changing from gray to black to represent the storm. The Gerun Oasis would soon receive huge rainfall that they had not seen in decades. Rainfall in the heart of an arid desert.

Leigh lowered his head and never said a word again. Cassia stood in front of him, feeling that time passed very slowly, because he felt that he was close to the core of the matter for the first time. Many of the things and knowledge he knew in books were written by others hired by those who ruled and had power.

History is always written by the victors, because the losers are dead. The Saint Dolag Empire has gone through thousands of years, not counting its predecessor, the Kingdom of Mano. No one knows to what extent it has reached the control of words and books, the protection of those in power and aristocratic bloodlines, and the control and utilization of lower-class humans.

At this moment, Cassia suddenly felt that the scenery in front of him seemed unreal. Why he liked steam machinery so much was probably because only cold steel would not deceive his eyes. They represent the truth at all times. There are no deceptive feelings, no hidden emotions, and no reason to lie. They are just bolts full of spirals, and they will never stop moving forward until they fail. Scrapped gears.

"Then how did you get in?" Li spoke again, his smiling face finally perfectly hidden. Now he had a serious and thoughtful face, "I mean the reason why you came to the military school? If it's just because You can get in if you yearn for it. This is not the reason why you can come to the military school. No one will pay for your vision. Just like the people begging on the street who want to live the noble human life they envy, it is just a delusion. "

"I don't know, but I am really yearning for the military school because I don't have to pay tuition and there is a monthly subsidy. Its reputation and brand will allow me to find an excellent job after graduation." Ka Xia's voice was so calm that he even surprised himself, "As for the others, there is nothing else. By the way, my understanding of the military school is limited to the introduction mentioned in the book. The rest is the training plan of the Twenty-Third Duke Family. , I don’t know at all.”

"Mr. Cassia, this is not a reason for you to evade, nor is it a reason for you to escape. In your words and emotions, you have begun to want to put aside the relationship with us and the military school. But this is impossible. "Lee reminded Cassia, "You can't say that when we walked out of the shadow of the building and entered the sunshine, it was the same as entering the bright world. The shadow is always behind you. No matter what, it can be used To deal with trouble, but escaping is not the way to solve the problem. Besides, you don’t even know what the fundamental problem is. Don’t let others despise you. Mr. Cassia, the kitten’s hair can also be used. Teeth can bite someone's throat, not to mention you are not a kitten, you are a person with a wolf inside."

"Although you don't want to become a beast, there are some things that are not up to you. I don't want to do tasks, I don't want to go to any school to study, I just want to have fun, but if you don't pay for these things, no one is willing to give them to you for free. ." Li said, and then patted his snow-white forehead, where a few scattered golden hair fell down, "I'm sorry, I accidentally turned it into a sermon. In fact, I also hate these, they are all things that everyone has already understood. The truth. But Mr. Cassia, I don’t see the basic awareness in you that you understand these truths.”

Li sighed, but Cassia's heart trembled. He still missed his life in the small town. Although he was quite oppressed by the noble businessmen, he had become accustomed to it in more than five years. Moreover, he was only thirteen when he went to the steam factory. Although his mind grew rapidly, it had many flaws.

"Military schools are not institutions that you can enter just by relying on admiration and yearning. If you are really a civilian, including military schools, including seminaries, some of their many affiliated schools are those that real civilians can It has reached its peak. Just like schools such as Imperial Heavy Industry and Agriculture, because these insignificant things are not worth the trouble and control of those in high positions. These things cannot be shaken, or can threaten their rights and status. .”

Lee looked at Cassia's cold eyes and continued: "Mr. Cassia, power is addictive. Once you master it, if you want to let people go, you can only follow it with life and blood. The foundation under the Iron Throne They are all buried with dead bones. This is the current situation of the struggle for power. Moreover, the Iron Throne is getting higher and higher due to the growth of its foundation. If you want to climb up, no one may have calculated the price you have to pay. "

Cassia still looked indifferent and stood upright. This was the effect of three months of training in the military school, and it had already been integrated into his body unconsciously. His eyes were as calm as water, but there were still ripples inside them.

"Then I have a few questions, Mr. Cassia. First, the empire has been established for more than a thousand years, but the number of grand dukes in the empire has always been twenty-three, and it has never changed. Don't you find it strange? ?" Li's smile returned to his face again.

"The title of Duke was specially awarded to those who made great contributions to the country after the establishment of the empire by the first emperor and king of the Saint Dorag Empire, and it is hereditary." Cassia recited a sentence from the textbook, "There are Without the accumulation of the first generation, it would be impossible for the second generation to work hard, establish their own position and pass it on to this day.”

"Yes, Mr. Cassia seems to know it." Li said, "So this is the reason. After the death of the first generation of real family heads, how can they hold on to their positions and not be replaced by people who suddenly appear later? In other words, how can we ensure our position and power without letting more people stand on an equal footing with them? Resources are limited, and the steel throne is only so big. The gap between all things It's all in comparison. If everyone has everything, then it must be the lowest thing, just like life. The same truth can be derived from power and status. I said, they are addictive."

"So they united?" Cassia said.

"Exactly, Mr. Cassia, you guessed it right." Li clapped his hands and said, "Decades later, when all the first generation families die, when the first generation Holy Emperor and King also die, when the empire When everyone's faces have almost been renovated, they have lost their prestige and want to continue to stand on the top, want to continue to exercise power conveniently, want to continue to increase their numbers without letting new people reach the top, So what should they do? They tried many methods, and finally found that the only way was to join forces. So they signed an agreement, and it continues to this day."

"protocol?"

"The agreement can be summarized in a few simple sentences - the Twenty-three Grand Dukes' families can only be ended by members of the Twenty-three Grand Dukes' families; if one of the Twenty-three Grand Dukes' families is in danger, the other families must come to the rescue; If any family wants to withdraw from the agreement, the other 22 families must agree together," Lee said.

"A contradictory agreement," Cassia responded to Leigh's words.

"Yes, it is precisely because of contradictions that it has existed for so long. Perfect things are only for pursuit." Li Xiao said, "Then the second question, can joining forces ensure the consolidation of status?"

"No, the country will die over time. For such a family that depends on the country, the country's demise will be their doom."

"But the empire never fell, and instead became stronger in the future, so although this statement is true, it is not applicable now." Li responded. There were only two of them in the small garden, and the light began to dim. "It has to do with power. Apart from money, there is another important thing."

"strength."

"No, power may be more suitable for someone who can be controlled and use power accurately." The corner of his sharp mouth raised.

"So there is Saint Dorag Military School." There was no emotion in Cassia's voice. He and Li said this at the same time.