「*」
His eyes, dark as lacquer, flickered with firelight, deep and grim.
The young man's eyes were usually exceptionally clear, but now they seemed veiled by a black fog.
After a long moment, he said in a low voice, "So it was a dead end."
A heavy silence fell, broken only by the CRACKLING of sparks from the fire.
"Little General," Amy clapped her hands lightly and smiled at him. "Weren't you going to be loyal to your country and serve it until death? Why are you getting scared now?"
"If I had been born in a time of chaos, with no one but myself, then my death would mean nothing. But now, with our country in turmoil, even if I have the heart to repay it with my life, I fear I cannot save this crumbling dynasty."
Dongfei said glumly, "The Chi Mansion is full of loyal martyrs. In your generation, Little General, you're the only heir left. If something were to happen to you, the Chi family's line... would be broken! I can't imagine how heartbroken the old madam would be..."
