Bernie felt a sharp pain in his heart.
He turned to look at the Demon Mountain, his eyes filled with complex emotions.
Damn it, this prince's lion's tooth hasn't even been warmed up yet, and it's going to be taken back.
Lord Mountain has schemed for everything, even the lion's tooth he gave me.
Bernie suddenly has a strong urge to die!
He suddenly felt a deep hatred for one person: that person's name was Bernie!
If it weren't for that bastard Bernie's inexplicable soft-heartedness, he could have avoided this physical pain and even kept that precious sword.
Bernie hesitated.
However, when his eyes met King Robert's almost fiery gaze, he immediately and without hesitation drew the Lion's Tooth sword from his waist.
The golden lion's head at the end of the sword's hilt had been knocked off, and the broken pieces of gold were hidden in Bernie's inner pocket, where they were warm against his skin.
The carved leather hilt of the sword had been wrapped with black cloth strips, completely concealing the original expensive leather and exquisite carvings.
But when the sword was drawn from Bernie's ordinary scabbard, its steel blade gleamed with a blue light, and everyone in the palace—Queen Cersei, Prince Joffrey, King Robert, the Kingsguard, the Lord Attorney, the Lord Chief of Staff, and so on—recognized it as the Lion Fang, Prince Joffrey's treasured sword.
Under the king's imposing gaze, Bernie steeled himself and said, "I witnessed everything from behind the bushes. When Prince Joffrey used this lion's tooth to carve words on the butcher's face, Miss Stark realized she could no longer stop him with words, so she struck him on the back of the head with her training sword. Enraged, the prince turned and used the lion's tooth to kill Miss Stark, and the butcher took the opportunity to escape down the river."
"Miss Stark and the prince were fighting when her training sword was knocked away. She tripped and fell on the grass as she stumbled backward. Just as the prince was about to strike her down, a direwolf rushed out to save him, biting his right hand that was holding the sword. The prince's sword fell to the ground, and Miss Stark picked it up and threw it into the Trident River. Then, realizing she had caused trouble, Miss Stark fled upstream with the direwolf. With the help of Miss Big Stark, the prince mounted his horse and left the Ruby Beach. So I jumped into the river and retrieved the sword."
"The only proof that I witnessed everything is this sword. Only by seeing where the sword fell could I retrieve it from the river. I know I'm doomed for telling the truth today. My life is worthless, so be it. But I swear in the name of the Seven Gods that I did not lie! Your Majesty, I am not afraid of death, but I have one request."
"Speak!" the king's tone softened.
"Your Majesty, please grant my request first!"
"Speak!" King Robert emphasized.
Bernie's heart skipped a beat, fearing he'd overdone his act. He immediately said, "I have offended the Queen and the Prince, and I have also betrayed my lord, the Mountain. I have decided to commit suicide to atone for my sins, but I beg the King's mercy, that the Mountain not cause trouble for my wife and family." With that, Bernie knelt down with a thud!
The king looked at the Demon Mountain without saying a word.
Lord Eddard Stark's eyes were also fixed on the Mountain, his gaze unwavering.
Queen Cersei was pale and had a venomous look in her eyes; Prince Joffrey had a smirk on his face and looked embarrassed. He quietly retreated into the shadows behind his mother, hunching his shoulders and his blue eyes gleaming with an eerie green light.
Justice Minister Renly smiled elegantly: "Bernie's evidence is very convincing. I believe what he said is true. Joffrey did lie this time! Haha, hahaha, Her Majesty the Queen is so protective of her son, but this time she has made a huge, huge mistake! Haha, hahaha!"
Renly's mocking laughter was like a whip, striking Queen Cersei's face repeatedly. Queen Cersei's expression turned extremely ugly. She could no longer bear Renly's laughter and the complicated gazes of her courtiers. She stood up abruptly and stormed off.
Prince Joffrey immediately lowered his head and followed, not daring to look around, and hurried on. With a thud, the prince bumped into a very tall courtier. This courtier in red robes was a monk, tall and fat, wearing a loose red robe, with a large, shaved head. He came from the free city-state of Myr across the Narrow Sea, and his name was Thoros, a fierce general under King Robert.
Joffrey nearly fell, and Soros quickly reached out to steady the prince.
A lady's soft laughter drifted out, but quickly faded. The flustered lady, perhaps realizing the inappropriateness of laughing at Prince Joffrey, immediately covered her mouth.
The entire room fell silent!
Only the sound of the queen and prince's hurried footsteps could be heard as they left.
The Demon Mountain was in a good mood. His cunning scheme this time was perfect and would soon elicit reactions from at least two people: one was the future absolute super killer god; the other was his sworn brother who knew him very well—a sworn brother is a brother whose life I must die for.
The Mountain knew it was time for him to speak up; otherwise, His Majesty the King could issue him any order. Despite his current obesity, the King had always been incredibly strong-willed; the seven kingdoms were conquered by the very warhammers of this very fat king before him.
The Mountain said, "Your Majesty, Duke Eddard, I, the Mountain, am a knight who values the honor of the Clegane family. Since Bernie is telling the truth, I swear on the honor of the Seven that I will never harm him or his family."
King Robert nodded and said, "The Mountain, if Bernie and his family are in trouble, I will take your life!"
The Mountain ignored the king's threat: "Bernie, come here!"
Bernie, trembling, walked toward the Demon Mountain.
Lan Li laughed, "You little rascal, leave your sword behind!"
Bernie felt a pang of pain in his heart and reluctantly reached out to hand the sword to Renly. The king shouted, "Renly!"
Renly laughed heartily: "Very well, the King is generous, Lion Fang is yours! Now hurry up and kneel down to kowtow!"
Bernie was overjoyed and immediately turned around, knelt down before the king, and kowtowed to express his gratitude.
The king, however, seemed to have forgotten Bernie, and suddenly shouted sharply at the gate, "Joffrey, stop right there!"
Joffrey, who had already reached the front door, froze. He didn't dare turn around, his entire body stiffening at the doorway.
Cersei's voice came from outside the door, unrestrained and displaying the absolute advantage of shamelessness: "Robert, are you even a man... Your son's hand was bitten by a direwolf... Who will be responsible if he's left with a disability? Are you the ruler of a kingdom? Isn't it a fact that Joffrey was bitten by a direwolf?!"
Robert said in a deep voice, "Jaime, go and take Cersei away."
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Jaime placed his hand on the golden hilt of his sword and strode forward.
"Sir Barristan, bring Prince Joffrey here!"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Sir Manden Moore, go and tell the Hound to release that poor butcher boy."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
The king glanced at Eddard Stark, a relieved smile spreading across his face. Then, he nudged Bernie, who was kneeling on the ground, with his toe and said with a laugh, "Bernie, get up. The Lion Fang is yours!"
"Yes, thank you, Your Majesty."
The Mountain's eyes met Arya's. Arya knew perfectly well that the person lying behind the bushes wasn't Bernie, but the Mountain himself. With her quirky and clever nature, she naturally understood that Bernie's appearance was actually orchestrated by the villainous Mountain.
The Mountain saved Arya's best friend, Mika, and her eyes revealed gratitude towards him. But that wasn't what the Mountain wanted; he desired far more than Arya's gratitude. Arya had a fatal weakness: loyalty and a strong sense of right and wrong; she would repay kindness with kindness and avenge wrongs.
Arya is still young and doesn't understand that her future achievements will be unparalleled, but the Mountain will make Arya understand now what kind of reward he wants from her.
Outside the gate, Cersei was taken away by Jaime; inside, Joffrey was taken to King Robert by Barristan; Bernie returned to the Mountain, covered in wounds, his only gain being the Lion's Tooth; Bernie's complex emotions were indescribable, he was filled with deep regret!
Footsteps sounded, and the Hound led the terrified Butcher Boy in. Arya greeted them with a beaming smile: "Mika, we're alright!"
Mikael avoided Arya as if she were a venomous snake, unwilling to get close to her again.
Ellie was stunned!
The Mountain and the Hound's eyes met, then the two brothers looked away without a word. The Mountain was certain that only two people could see through Bernie's scheme to accuse the Queen and the Prince: one was Arya, who knew that the person lying on the grass behind the bush was the Mountain himself and not Bernie; the other was his sworn brother, Sandor Clegane, the Hound.
The Hound knew that without the Mountain's tacit approval, even if his servant Bernie were given ten gallstones, he wouldn't dare to defy the Mountain's will and testify against the Queen and the Prince.
Think about it, is it possible for a mere servant of the Mountain to testify against Queen Cersei and the Prince without the Mountain's tacit approval in such a situation?
Absolutely impossible!
But why would the Mountain design something like this to humiliate Queen Cersei? It doesn't fit the Mountain's logic or reason at all!
The Hound decided that any problems should not be left unresolved overnight!