As soon as the morning training was over, a servant came to report that mercenary pace wanted to see him.


    As Arthur handed his sword to the guard beside him, he said, "let me invite him to dinner and ask people to prepare more food."


    ……


    restaurant.


    Seeing Arthur coming, the worried pace immediately stood up from his chair.


    "My Lord."


    "Sit down, don''t be polite," Arthur said casually.


    Pace nodded and immediately sat down. Just as he hesitated to say goodbye to Arthur, Arthur first said, "I''ve prepared some gifts for you. Take them with you when you leave. There aren''t many things. Just a few river collar books and some gadgets. You can give them to miss Eugenie as gifts."


    "By the way, when you get back, I''ll ask the merchant to send you some drinks. You know, these are the only things that Shanghe collar can take. I hope you don''t refuse."


    Pace was stunned and immediately said, "no, sir! It''s too troublesome for you! And I''m afraid I don''t have gold coins to pay the merchant for those drinks."


    "Why, do you still need to receive gold coins to give friends some gifts?"


    "But..."


    Looking at Arthur''s eyes, pace''s words that he wanted to refuse were all stuck in his throat.


    "Thank you," he said sadly and deeply, "I don''t know you have guessed. I was still hesitating how to speak to you."


    Arthur smiled and then said, "if you like, I can send someone to escort you back. It''s not very safe. Those guys who chase you may be waiting for you to leave Shanghe town."


    "No!" pace immediately waved his hand. "Sir, we have caused you a lot of trouble. You must not send someone to escort us. Winter is coming, and it''s time for you to hire."


    These days, he followed Arthur not only to inspect iron mines, forging factories, schools and other places, but also to the sharp blade fortress, which is known as the most dangerous fortress in the kingdom.


    He was greatly moved by Arthur''s enthusiasm and affection, and felt that there was no return, so he really didn''t want to bother Arthur any more.


    Looking at pace, Arthur said in a relaxed tone while eating the food: "pace, do you know you have two very obvious weaknesses?"


    "Please point it out," pace sat up straight.


    "Don''t be so serious." Arthur pointed to the food in front of him and motioned him to eat and talk. "You are about to return to your family. This is a little advice I gave you before you leave. It may help you."


    "Yes."


    Pick up a fried golden crisp fried dough stick, pace took a snack, and still looked at Arthur seriously. Looks like a bachelor waiting to listen to him in a castle.


    "You must go back with the determination to sacrifice yourself and save others?"


    "Yes!" pace said seriously. "Eugenie is my only sister. I can''t see her marry an old man. She''s depressed all her life!"


    "So you''re going to marry a woman you don''t love, and even think it''s great?"


    After thinking for a while, pace did not deny: "my Lord, this is the responsibility I must bear!"


    "You..." Arthur said with a slight sigh. "With your origin, it''s hard to find someone as naive as you."


    He can probably guess that pace''s childhood was not happy, and his sister Eugenie may be one of the few warm figures when he recalled his childhood.


    "Do you think I shouldn''t go back?" pace asked puzzled.


    "No, as a brother, it''s natural to protect your sister. It''s your responsibility! The reason why I say you''re naive is because you''re naive about self sacrifice and even self moving."


    "Pace, you have to understand that a really great hero can''t just give bread and gold coins to the poor, or sacrifice yourself to save others. Based on your origin and current situation, you should do more and better. Your sister is your most cherished family, but her destiny is only a part of the destiny of the kingdom. You and I will do the same when you return to the family , you won''t be who you are now. "


    "My Lord, I don''t quite understand what you mean..."


    "You just don''t want to understand!" Arthur looked into his eyes. "Tell me, who do you think will be the next Duke of the north?"


    Pace''s eyes flashed.


    "It''s you!"


    "Me?" pace looked at Arthur with a dull disbelief.


    "Otherwise! It''s not you, it''s me!"


    Stunned, pace immediately said in a panic: "no! Sir, I never thought, i... you don''t know, I will only make a mess of everything. How can I be a Duke? It''s impossible!"


    "So, this is your greater responsibility!" said Arthur. "No one is born to be a duke and will not study. Your father is the goal you want to surpass! And the first thing you should get rid of is your innocence and hesitation!"


    "Surpass him?" his father''s stern figure suddenly appeared in front of pace. He immediately shook his head and said to himself, "this, how is this possible? How can I surpass him? I can''t do anything well. I''ve always only added chaos..."


    Looking at him, Arthur said, "pace, you should understand that the real hero is the one who can defeat himself and change himself, and the real heroism is the one who dares to break something and has great wisdom and love!"


    "Great wisdom... Great love?" pace repeated Arthur''s words, looking confused. "Sir, is this the reason for your reform? But I don''t have what you said. I can''t even do well in Knights and mercenaries. I really..."


    "If you can''t do well, go to school. Take your own responsibility and perform your due duties, even if you pay your life for it. Pace, were you born with ''glory in the North''? You know yourself, you are much better than you think."


    ……


    Outside Shanghe Town, pace held the reins, rode on his horse, quietly looked at Shanghe town in front of him, as if he wanted to print everything in front of him in his mind.


    Seeing the boss sitting on the horse all the time, the little man looked at the axe with a puzzled expression on his face.


    "Boss, what are you looking at?" the little man kicked his horse forward and asked puzzled.


    The axe also came forward and said, "boss, did you forget something? Anyway, it''s still early. Let''s go straight back."


    Looking at the wide streets, neat houses and busy workers in the sun, pace silently shook his head.


    "What did you say?"


    He shook his head again: "all with, all said..."


    Pace didn''t understand many of Arthur''s words at all, but he wrote them down carefully.


    "Then what are we doing here..." the axe muttered.


    "Shut up, what do you know!" the little man scolded. "Boss, this is saying goodbye. When we leave here, we may never come to river town again in our life."


    "Ah! Then we won''t have a chance to eat the food here again!"


    "You fucking know how to eat! You have to give up. It''s too late to go back now."


    "Who can''t bear it? Can''t I say goodbye? You''re a big eater these days."


    Pace turned the horse''s head. The little man and axe on one side were still quarrelling and arguing.


    ……