Thousand-Faced Dragon

Chapter 222 Lex's Promise
“You, Lex Lane, will be executed tomorrow for offending the royal family.”

The blonde princess, her lips pursed, handed down the death sentence. She looked at the man in the cage and announced his execution, but her purpose was not merely for that.

Her Highness, knowing it was all a misunderstanding, came specifically to forgive the male protagonist.

Guided by fate, she entrusted him with a difficult task, and the two gradually developed a subtle affection for each other as they worked together. How could it be such a traditional and romantic development!
"The Seal of Mossolo".

The princess raised her long sword and pointed it at the iron gate, and a silvery-white sealing light enveloped the cage.

"I know you're good at picking locks. Try the magic lock!"

The girl smiled, revealing a missing front tooth, and looked very satisfied.

“You’re dead! I said it. Guards.” She turned and said to the prison guards.

"Keep a close watch on him, keep a close watch on him all night. If he escapes, execute him ahead of schedule. If he runs away, you'll be the ones on the execution ground!"

The offended lioness laughed gleefully; she had come specifically to deliver the final blow.

There are no fairy tales, no love stories, only the violated royal dignity, and the wrathful lioness who vows to kill the king for the offense.

A cruel class hierarchy lay between them, and faced with the swept-away royal dignity, no one could save the unfortunate Lex, and no one even dared to speak up for him.

"Oh dear, it seems like it really is going to have to be sent." Lex sighed.

So he happily used spoons and cups as percussion instruments and put on a concert for his fellow inmates all night, turning "Our princess is missing a front tooth" and "Watch out for that petty lioness, she'll eat you" into a series of medleys.

As Lex lay dying, he realized that he actually had a real talent for being a bard. The little tunes he composed were not only catchy but also had a particularly novel, cheerful, and captivating rhythm. Soon, even the guards could sing a few lines.

If the princess hadn't done a thorough cleaning afterwards, the song would likely have spread not only but also the amusing story of her losing a front tooth.

In fact, the first few popular nicknames for the princess that followed, such as "the princess who speaks with a lisp" and "the princess with dentures," probably originated from this.

After that, she basically never smiled, which was partly due to this reason.

Lex partied wildly all night, a kind of dying frenzy. But he still didn't die.

Because he was indeed a good person. On the one hand, many people who owed him favors came specifically to rescue him. On the other hand, besides being a good locksmith, he was also a good bricklayer. Taking advantage of the chaos when the prison was invaded, he directly dug down the prison wall.

Ultimately, after a series of events, he escaped from death row.

Originally, he thought he was going to develop his career in a different place or even a different country, but...
"The sword of the hero has chosen him?! There's no reason! Even a bear that walks upright is more rational than him!" The princess couldn't accept it at all that day.

"But he was indeed very courageous, extremely courageous, he was fearless."

Things often unfold in ways that defy logic, and the Blade of Courage at the site of the Hero Selection Ritual chose Lex without hesitation.

This turning point, after a series of events, ultimately led to Lex's reconciliation with the royal family.

But don't expect Lex and the princess to reconcile; they are truly mortal enemies.

Back then, the title of "hero" didn't actually represent a high status. It was more like an ancient and powerful legacy, which the royal family of the kingdom preserved and could command to a certain extent.

Who wouldn't like a consistently emerging high-end combat force? But that's all there is to it—just a steadily improving top-tier enforcer.

The previous heroes were probably only at the level of the vice-commander of the Royal Knights.

Later, the status of heroes became so special that the entire kingdom was even called the Kingdom of Heroes. In the end, it was because Lex was strong, not because the profession itself was strong.

Lex, who obtained the Sword of the Hero and the title, is actually even more arrogant and scoundrel-like.

He started directly charging the expenses on Red Street to the royal family, especially the princess, and the two sides would inevitably exchange harsh words whenever they met.

If nothing unexpected happens, the two sides will probably never speak to each other again, and the hero might earn the title of "worst hero of all time".

However, war broke out.

Lex on the battlefield and Lex off the battlefield are completely different people.

On the battlefield, he was the embodiment of a war god, his wisdom brimming with rational intuition, always on the offensive, and his reputation and popularity were rapidly built up with each victory.

Off the battlefield, calling him a lazy bum would be an understatement; he spent most of his time at banquets and red-light districts, a typical good-for-nothing.

The only thing worth praising is his rising fame for his singing skills and creative desires. Too many songs with the theme of "the princess is a toothless lioness" were created, which further drove Mariana crazy.

Their relationship continued to deteriorate, but in reality, Lex could only gain some superficial advantages, since the country was ultimately hers, or at least its future.

As the years went by, the hero's reputation grew louder and louder, and his continuous victories gradually earned him the title of "Strongest Hero".

Princess has become more mature and stable. She has begun to get involved in state affairs and is no longer impatient. Although her relationship with the hero Lex is still very bad, at least they can maintain a semblance of civility.

"Does she have any weaknesses?" After yet another exchange, Lex sensed that Mariana seemed difficult to provoke, and he felt inexplicably annoyed.

So he did the thing he regretted most in his life: he followed Marianne and planned to play a prank on her.
"Huh? She can laugh like that?"

For the first time, in a royal private garden, Mariana's childlike, contented smile surprised him.

What surprised him even more was the man in black who made the princess smile so sweetly.

She—or rather, she—was completely wrapped in black oilcloth, seemingly suffering from a serious illness. There were also a bunch of messy sealing characters on it, and she even wore a mask that covered most of her face.

"Huh, the legendary princess sister? It's actually true?"

At the time, Lex didn't take the rumors about the second princess seriously. Instead, he had a wicked, rotten idea: he decided...
"Since that missing-toothed princess values ​​her younger sister so much, I'll seduce her. Hehe, that should be quite interesting."

And so, the fairy tale came true.

The hero cut through the thorns, drove back the guards, climbed the tower, and saw the caged bird inside fall in love with her.

Yes, he fell in love with her, but it wasn't love at first sight.

"Small eyes and eyebrows, tiny hands and feet, pure black hair, the quiet and gentle princess is reading again. Oh, has the little bird she saved finally flown away?" "Why does she do all the laundry herself? Doesn't she have any maids?"

"Is her terrible drawing a result of a pleasant time with her sister? What a pity, that lioness probably won't see you again for at least a month."

"She sings very well."

At some point, he would secretly sneak into the depths of the palace and plot his so-called revenge, but as he looked around, he would stop.

This girl is pure, kind, and innocent; she even talks to birds and chats with thorns in a silly way.

However, this purity, at some point, made the brave man, accustomed to the chaos, content with the time spent silently watching her.

It seemed that at this moment, his restless heart calmed down.

An irrational love finally brewed in his heart, and the prodigal son seemed to be cursed by Cupid, finally beginning to turn back.

Finally, unable to bear it any longer, he came knocking on his door.

"Um, who are you?"

"Me? I am the hero, the hero who will save you. Imprisoned princess, do you want to go out and see the world? Go see the mountains covered with flowers, see the salty sea, and smell the fragrance of the Valley of Flowers."

At this moment, the hero became a lone hero, even prepared to betray the kingdom.

"I...I refuse. I can't leave; it would cause trouble for everyone."

But the black-haired princess rejected him, her gentle eyes revealing a resolute will.

But she was facing Lex, who had never known what it meant to back down.

"Go and have some fun, you'll see!"

Without a word, the hero abducted the princess, and as promised, took her to the mountains, to the seaside, and to the plains and flower valleys.

It was a crazy time for play. Lex was almost unbeatable when it came to playing, and his singing and dancing gave the little princess a completely new experience.

Together they wore masks and fought chivalrous deeds, rode giant dragons together, and danced in a sea of ​​flowers.
Then, he unusually gentlemanly sent it back, mainly due to the little princess's insistence; Lex had actually prepared himself for never to return.

"I can't do that next time, it'll cause trouble for others! Um, Brave Brother."

But as she left, the little princess, wearing a purple flower hair clip, bowed her head and thanked the hero for his kindness.

Will you still come to see me? Will you come to see me occasionally? To chat with me and tell me about what's going on outside?

That's all the little princess asked for.

And then? Then what was bound to happen naturally happened. Overjoyed, Lex wouldn't let this opportunity slip by, and he spent most of his time having secret meetings with the little princess.

However, he remained a rare gentleman and quietly prepared to leave the kingdom.

Has anyone noticed? Actually, yes, the only person in the entire kingdom who dotes on the little princess is her older sister.

She tried to stop it at first, but to no avail. She was even more afraid that if things got out of hand, the news of the second princess would be leaked.

She was initially furious, but after a deep conversation with her sister one night, seeing her younger sister show genuine joy and a smile for the first time in her life, she also made concessions for the first time in her life.

"Scumbag. Be nicer to her. If I find out you've betrayed her, I'll kill you!" Perhaps, to the helpless eldest princess, only a scumbag who fears nothing would dare approach her sister, who is entangled in curses and rumors.

At that moment, Lex was overjoyed and for the first time refrained from speaking ill of Marianne.

Everything seemed to be getting better. The prodigal son settled down and began to turn back. Lex, who was seriously working for the first time and showing his potential, was ridiculously strong. He easily became the strongest person in the kingdom, recognized by all parties!
But as he received his title under the crown, he was thinking about whether he was confident of defeating the siege of all the kingdom's knights.

He was truly prepared to commit suicide and flee the country alone if his actions were exposed.

But war broke out again.

To be precise, the war never stopped during that period, but this time, even Lex wasn't sure he could come back.

He simply went to see his princess as usual, pretending that everything was going smoothly.

But this time, seeing the new scars on his body, the little princess gave him a little surprise.

"Brother Lex, I promise you, when you come back, let's leave together." The little princess actually took the initiative to confess the feelings she had been suppressing.

"Let's go to a place where no one knows us and live together."

The black-haired princess still couldn't bring herself to say the words of confession. In the end, she closed her eyes and offered a sweet kiss.

Overjoyed, Lex knelt down for the first time in his life and presented a ring woven from flowers and vines.

"Yes, we'll elope when I get back. I love you too, my little princess, my future wife. I will make you happy."

As he spoke, he lifted the little princess up, twirled her around, and laughed.

This is like the sweetest dream. But the dream is gradually shattering, and cruel reality is emerging.

"May you stay young forever, just like this flower ring. May our love never fade, Rosalind. I love you so much, I will make you the happiest girl in the world."

Half-asleep, Rean finally escaped the dream, muttering a name he didn't recognize.

"Rosalind, lovely, little, sweet. I love you, I will make you happy, my little princess."

He gradually regained consciousness, touching his head as he slowly recalled the absurd dream.

Unbeknownst to him, a shadowy bird had been watching him all night in his room, attempting to strike him several times. Finally, it vanished quietly after he uttered the name "Rosalind."

On his bed sheet, a flower ring that had been dried up for a long time was gradually turning into ashes.

(End of this chapter)